^ i 



HOW 
TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE 



HOW TO STUDY 
SHAKESPEARE 



BY 

WILLIAM H. FLEMING 

Author of A Bibliography of the First Folios ; 

Editor of ''Much Ado about Nothing," 

First and Second " Henry /K," Bankside Edition 

With an Introduction by 
W. J. ROLFE, LiTT. D. 



NEW YORK : 

DOUBLEDAY & McCLURE CO. 




TWaCOPlES RECEIVED 






6138 

Copyright, 1898, by Doubleday & McClure Co. 



Introduction 

Shakespeare is the greatest of poets and drama- 
tists, and to know him well is a liberal education ; 
but the majority of intelligent— if, indeed, we may 
not say of cultivated — people who fancy that they 
know him well have in reality only a smattering 
of this education. They know little of him except 
through the plays commonly put upon the stage, or 
the selections made by professional readers, who, as 
a rule, draw from this sa:ne group of plays — 2he 
Merchant of Venice, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, 
Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, and a few others. 

These people may have standard editions of Shake- 
speare on their book-shelves, but they seldom open 
them except, perhaps, to refresh their memories con- 
cerning the plays with which they have become 
acquainted in the way I have mentioned. An emi- 
nent editor of Shakespeare used to say that, when 
he heard a person talk of being familiar with Shake- 
speare, he would ask him if he had ever read Cymbe- 
line; and in nine cases of ten he would have to say 
that he had not. This was twenty or more years ago, 
when Cymbeline was seldom, if ever, put upon the 
stage, as it has occasionally been more recently. 



iV HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

I once knew a gentleman, a graduate of college 
and of a professional school, and the author of 
several successful books, who had six or eight of the 
standard editions of Shakespeare in his library, in- 
cluding Halliwell's great folio edition, which cost 
him six hundred dollars. I was not a little surprised 
when he told me that he never read a play of Shake- 
speare until he happened to take up my edition of 
The Merchant of Venice, which I had given him. It 
was probably his interest in the editor rather than 
in the dramatist which led him to look into it ; but 
he read it through with keen enjoyment, and from 
that day until his death Shakespeare was one of his 
favorite authors. 

It is only within the last thirty years or so that 
Shakespeare has been studied in our high schools 
and academies. A generation ago two or three of 
the plays were taken up in college, or a few lectures 
were given on the life and works of the dramatist, 
but neither Shakespeare nor any other English clas- 
sic was included in tlie preparatory course for col- 
lege ; nor was English in any form even mentioned in 
the list of requirements for admission to our lead- 
ing colleges or universities. When I began to teach, 
forty or more years ago, no play of Shakespeare had 
been annotated for school or college use. In those 
days it was the boast of the young lady who had 
"finished her education" at a boarding-school that 
she had "parsed through" Milton's Paradise Lost ; 
but that the poem was written for any other purpose 
than to furnish exercises in grammatical analysis 
may have never entered her mind, 



IN^TEODUCTIOH. V 

Happily times have changed. English literature is 
now recognized as one of the essential branches in 
even a common-school education, and editors vie with 
one another in annotating Shakespeare and the other 
great poets and prose writers for use in secondary and 
more advanced schools. 

The Shakespeare Club is one of the developments 
of this new interest in literature, and is doing much 
to make the poet more widely and thoroughly known 
and appreciated. The young people who have begun 
to study and enjoy him at school are eager to keep 
up and extend their acquaintance with him after 
school-days are over ; and their elders, who scarcely 
heard of him in their own school-days, but have 
since seen some of the plays on the stage, are glad 
to learn more about him in this pleasant social 
way. 

These clubs are of various kinds. Some are lim- 
ited to the mere reading of the plays. No papers, no 
discussions, no literary exercises whatever, are com- 
bined with the reading. I know of flourishing clubs 
that have thus read the plays, in fortnightly sessions, 
from November to Ma}^, for ten or fifteen years. 
Some of the more popular plays, like The Merchant 
of Venice, A Midsummer NighVs Dream, As You 
Like It, Twelfth Night, Much Ado, The Comedy of 
Errors, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, 1 Henry IV., etc., 
have been read from six to ten times ; some, like 
King John, Richard II., CoPiolanus, Antony and 
Cleopatra, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Love's Labour's 
Lost, etc., two or three times ; some, like the three 
parts of Henry VI., All's Well, Mecmirefor Measure, 



VI HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Troilus and Cressida, and Timoii of Athens, not at 
all. Occasionally a non-Sliakcspeaiian play, like 
The Two Noble Kinsmen, Ben Jonson's Every Man 
in Ms Humour, Beaumont and Fletcher's Knight 
of the Burning Pestle, or Tennyson's Becket, has been 
read once, for the sake of variety ; and this is not a 
bad idea in clubs limited to the reading of plays. At 
rare intervals — once or twice a year, perhaps— an 
evening is given to a lecture from a member or some- 
body else ; or a five-minute or ten-minute paper, now 
and then, is made the introduction to the regular 
reading of a play. 

The parts in the play, in this and similar clubs, 
are assigned a fortnight or more in advance either 
by a committee (usually of three) appointed for the 
year, or by one chosen for each meeting. In the 
latter case, if the meetings are held at the houses of 
members, the lady of the house may select the play 
and appoint the "casting" committee, acting her- 
self as the "chairman" of it. 

These reading clubs are excellent in their way, 
and incidentally do considerable good work in the 
study of Shakespeare. Few persons, even if tolera- 
bly familiar with a play, would venture to read 
aloud a part of any importance in it without careful 
preparation. Those who are not familiar with it 
are likely to read very poorly unless they study their 
parts, with the aid of some annotated or critical 
edition. If they do not possess such nn edition, the 
present volume will be found helpful and suggestive. 

In a reading club in Boston, made up of clergy- 
jnen, teachers (including college professors), laW' 



li^TRODUCTIOiT. Vll 

yers, editors, and other cultivated people, it is a re- 
quirement that in the readings one specified edition 
(in this instance, Roife's) shall be used. In this club 
the members stand Avliile reading, making their exits 
and entrances as on the stage, and introducing 
gesticulation and byplay at discretion, so far as it 
can be done with one hand holding the book to 
be read. When the exercise is conducted in this 
way, which has certain obvious advantages, a small, 
handy edition is a necessity. In clubs where the 
members sit while reading (the exits, entrances, and 
other stage-directions being read by the person in 
charge of the reading— usually the chairman of the 
casting committee) the bulk and weight of the books 
used do not matter so much. It is convenient, how- 
ever, that a particular edition should be used as the 
standard in defining the "cuts" necessary in the 
longer plays, in order that they may be read in about 
two hours, as well as to avoid the confusion due 
to the different arrangements of acts and scenes and 
other variations in the ordinary editions 

These " cuts " should be announced in the notices 
of the meetings sent to the members. Many persons 
are not aware that the plays vary much in length, 
the longest {Hamlet, with 3930 Hues, in the " Globe" 
edition, which is taken by editors and commentators 
as the standard for line-numbers) being more than 
twice the length of the shortest {The Comedy of 
Errors, with 1778 lines). Only about 2000 lines can 
be read in two hours ; and if that is the time allotted 
to the reading, all the plays, except The Comedy of 
Errors, The Tempest (2065 lines), and Macbeth (21C9 



yill HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

lines), must bj abridged more or less to biing them 
within or near the limit. Certain " expurgation " of 
the text of most of the plays is also generally consid- 
ered necessary in clubs composed of both sexes, 
though I have heard of two such clubs in which it 
is agreed that no omissions of this kind shall be made. 

Some clubs are devoted exclusively to the study of 
Shakespeare. As these are likely to be made up of 
critical scholars, who may spend an entire season 
upon a single play or perhaps half a play, it is not 
necessary to say anything about them here. They 
will be fully equipped with all the standard editions 
and other apparatus criticus, and will not need a 
book like this. 

Of the much larger class of clubs for which the 
book is intended, the ideal club, in my opinion, is 
one that combines reading and study in such propor- 
tions as the tastes and aptitudes of the members 
may suggest. Its methods may be almost infinitely 
varied ; but the plan adopted by a club in England 
of many years' standing seems to me as good as any 
that I have known. There a play is read at one 
meeting and discussed at the next. At the former 
meeting certain characters (usually two) are assigned 
as special subjects for the coming discussion. Per- 
sons are appointed to open the discussion with five- 
minute papers on these characters. Similar or longer 
papers (or brief notes even) are also asked for as 
voluntary contributions from those who prefer to 
write what they have to say rather than to take part 
orally in the exercises. These papers or notes are not 
restricted to the characters chosen for discussion, but 



INTRODUCTION. IX 

may deal with any topic directly or indirectly con- 
nected with the play or suggested by it. A printed 
list of subjects for incidental study or consideration 
is put into the hands of members at the beginning of 
the season to furnish hints for this part of the work. 
The list includes, among other subjects, the follow- 
ing: Esthetic criticism ; anachronisms ; animals ; arts 
and sciences ; biblical and religious allusions ; classi- 
cal and mythical allusions ; coins, weights, and meas- 
ures ; demonology and witchcraft ; early dramatic 
representations; fine art; geography; historical ref- 
erences; law and heraldry; meats and drinks; metre 
and authorship ; music and ballads ; oaths and ex- 
clamations; plants; puns and jests ; rare M^ords and 
phrases ; similes and metaphors ; sources and his- 
tory ; sports and pastimes ; tradition and folklore, 
etc. 

If preferred, the combination of reading and study 
may be made less formal, and may be varied from time 
to time during the season. Some evenings may be 
given to the reading of plays with no other exercises, 
and others to any form of literary exercise that may 
commend itself to the members. Portions of a play 
may be read, and the rest of the session occupied with 
papers or discussion, either on the play or on other 
appropriate subjects. I have known much interest, 
with some incidental curiosity and amusement, to 
be excited by having these papers (perhaps limited 
to five minutes each) sent in to a committee who 
were to read them at the meeting without divulging 
the names of the writers. A single scene from a 
play may be read, followed by a discussion on some 



X HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

controversy to which it has given rise ; as, for in- 
stance, the trial scene in The Merchant of Yenice, 
with a discussion of the laio in tlie scene, and its 
bearing on the question of Shakespeare's legal knowl- 
edge ; or the forum scene in Julius Ccesar, with a 
discussion on the orations of Brutus and Mark 
Antony, and on tlie general subject of oratory m 
Shakespeare ; or the first scene of Lear, with a dis- 
cussion of the question whether the King is insane 
already, as some medical experts have argued. Any 
one of the plays may suggest an exercise of this kind, 
if not several such exercises. 

A musical evening will be found a most enjoyable 
variation in the routine of the club. All Shake- 
speare's st)ngs, with some of the sonnets and scattered 
passages in the plays that are not strictly of a lyrical 
character, have been set to music. Of some of the 
songs there have been many settings, dating from 
Shakespeare's own day down to the present time. 
"Under the greenwood tree," in As You Like Lt, for 
instance, has nine settings ; " Blow, blow, thou win- 
ter wind," in the same play, twelve; "Orpheus 
with his lute," in Henry VIII. , twenty-two ; " Who 
is Silvia ? " in Two Oentlemen of Verona, nineteen ; 
"Take, O take those lips away," in Pleasure for 
Measure, twenty-three ; and so on. It is interesting 
to have some of the songs at such an entertainment 
in several settings of different periods. For full in- 
formation on this subject, A. Roffe's Handbook of 
Shakespeare Music (London, 1878) may be consulted, 
or the fuller list of Songs and Passages of Shake- 
speare Set to if Ms*c, published by the New Shakespeare 



INTRODUCTIOK. XI 

Society of London in 1884. Much of tlie music may 
be found in tlie libraries in the larger cities, if not 
elsewliere. E. W. Naylor's Shakespeare and Music 
(London and New York, 1896) is an inexpensive 
manual which gives many illustrations of the music 
of the 16th and 17th centuries. 

These are only a few out of many hints that occur 
to me for varying Ihe work and recreation in Shake- 
speare clubs. They may at least serve to suggest 
what can be done in this direction, and to stimulate 
thought and interest in the subject among those 
who may read them. 

I need not add suggestions for the use of Mr. 
Fleming's book in Shakespeare clubs. It cannot fail 
to be helpful in many ways that will be obvious 
upon even a casual inspection. While it does not 
supersede annotated editions of the plays with which 
it deals, it will be a valuable supplement to them ; 
and for those who are not so fortunate as to possess 
them it will go far toward supplying the deficieucy. 
So far as I am aware, it is the only book published 
in America which is specially intended for use in 
Shakespeare clubs ; and I know of bat one such 
manual in England (perhaps now out of print), 
which is by no means so w^ell suited to the needs of 
the average club and is considerably more expensive. 

W. J. ROLFE. 



Preface 

The masterpieces of literature are not tlie product 
of a single age or of one people. Tliey are not in- 
sulated or isolated. Ideas, like nations, migrate. 
Between each masterpiece and the literature of other 
ages and other nations there is a connection, which, 
while subtle and often invisible, is none the less real 
and vital. This is true of the Shakespeare plays. 

Shakespeare did not invent the subjects which he 
dramatized. He selected them from histories, stories, 
ballads, old plays, poems, of both ancient and 
modern literature. These crude materials he trans- 
formed and re-created into the greatest body of liter- 
ature in the world. In order to form a critical judg- 
ment of that literature, and of Shakespeare's tech- 
nique as a dramatic artist, it is necessary that the 
student should be familiar with those histories, 
stories, ballads, old plays, poems, which constitute 
the source of his plots. The first chapter of each 
study in this book is devoted to a consideration of 
this subject. 

The second chapter is composed of Explanatory 
Notes. I have made them sufficiently full and com- 
plete, and yet not exhaustive or highly critical. 



XIV HOW TO STL'DY SHAKESPEARE. 

In the third chapter I give a table of Acts and 
Scenes in which each character appears, together 
with the number of lines spoken. This is intended 
specially for use in Reading Clubs. By means of it 
the characters can be assigned to the different mem- 
bers for reading. In order to facilitate this in clubs 
where the membership is limited, the minor char- 
acters, which do not appear in the same Scenes, are 
grouped, so that one person can read the parts of two 
or three such characters. 

The Questions, to which Chapter IV. is devoted, 
are so arranged as to direct attention to every im- 
portant subject suggested by the play. In them I 
have paid particular attention to the subject of 
dramatic construction. I have done this for two 
reasons. First, it is impossible to study and appre- 
ciate a play unless its construction is perceived and 
comprehended ; and secondly, because this subject, 
which is of primary importance, is by manj^ students 
and teachers relegated to a secondary place, or else 
altogether ignored. 

The last questions in each study, those separated 
from the others by * * * — e.g., Othello, Questions 
169-186, are not on any special Act, but on the play 
as a whole. I intend them to suggest to advanced 
students and teachers themes for scholarly and 
critical papers. 

The concluding part of each study gives a list of 
the books which comment on the play under con- 
sideration, or treat of topics which it suggests. 

The student will find the following reference 
books valuable : 



PREFACE. XV 

A Shakespeare Grammar. Abbott. 

Shakespeare Lexicon. Schmidt. 

Shakespeare Library. Hazlitt. 

Shakespeare's Plutarch. Skeat. 

The Plant-Lore and Garden-Craft of Shakespeare. 
Ellacombe. 

Concordance to Shakespeare. Bartlett. 

A Shakespeare Primer. Dowden. 

Outlines of the Life of Shakespeare. J, O. Halli- 
well-Phillipps. 

The successful teacher is not the one who imparts 
the most knowledge, but the one who enthuses the 
student and compels him to think. The book of 
greatest and most enduring value is not that which 
contains the most learning, but that which is most 
like Isabella's conversation, of which Angelo says : 

" She speaks, and 'tis 
Such sense, that my sense breeds with it." 

I have endeavored to make this book not only in- 
terpretative and illuminative, but also stimulating 
and suggestive. 

William H. Fleming. 



CONTENTS 

PAGB 

Introduction by W. J. Holfe . . . iii 

Author's Preface xiii 

Othello . . . « . . . . 1 

Twelfth Night 51 

Julius C^sar 99 

The Merchant of Venice .... 151 

jMacbeth 203 

A Midsummer-Night's Dream . . . 259 

King Richard the Third .... 303 

The Tempest 369 



OTHELLO 



OTHELLO 

I. The Source of the Plot. 

Shakespeare founded tliis play upon a novel of 
Cintlilo. It appeared in a volume of a hundred 
stories, entitled Oli Hecatommithi. The title of 
the novel is The Unfaithfulness of Husbands and 
Wires. 

The translation of this Italian novel can be 
found in Hazlitt's Shakespeare Library, Part I., 
Vol. II., pp. 285-308. Also in the edition of 
Shakespeare, published by Doubleday & IMc- 
Clure Co., pp. 12-30, of the volume containing 
this play. 

The story differs from the play in the follow- 
ing, among other, particulars : Desdemona is 
killed not by Othello, but by lago. Othello, 
however, is an accomplice. She is killed not 
by being smothered, but by being struck with 
a stocking filled with sand. Roderigo does not 
appear in the story. lago is a father. The 
handkerchief is stolen from Desdemona by lago 
when she is playing wnth his child. The source 
of lago's jealousy is disappointed love for Des- 
demona, The only name mentioned in the stoi y 



4: HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

is that of Desdemona. Cassio and lago are de- 
scribed by their titles, Othello as the Moor. 
There are other differences. 

" There was wanting in the narrative of Cin- 
thio the poetical genius which furnished the 
actors ; which created the individuals ; which 
imposed upon each a figure and a character ; 
which made us see their actions and listen 
to their words ; which presented their thoughts 
and penetrated their sentiments ; that vivifying 
power which summons events to arise, to pro- 
gress, to expand, to be completed ; that creative 
breath which, breathing over the jpast, calls it 
again into being, and fills it with a present and 
imperishable life — this was the power which 
Shakespeare alone possessed, and by which, out 
of a forgotten novel, he has made Othello.'^ 
M. Guizot. 

This subject is treated in extenso in " The 
Moor of Venice. Cinthio's Tale and Shake- 
speare's Tragedy." John Edward Taylor. 

Also in "Othello. A Critical Study." W. 
R. Turnbull. Chap, vi., pp. 113-119. 

II. Explanatory Notes. 

ACT I. 

Scene 1. 

The opening lines of the play manifest mas- 
terly dramatic technique. They " happily state 
the nature and foundation of the friendship be- 
tween Roderigo and lago — the pnrse— as also 



OTHELLO. 5 

the contrast of Roderigo's intemperance of 
mind witli lago's coolness — the coolness of a 
preconceiving experimenter." Coleridge. 

This. The maiTiage of Othello and Desdemona, 

'Sblood. An oath, abbreviated from God's blood. 

Capped. Bowed deferentially and removed their 
caps. Cf. Ant. & Cleo. II. 7. 64. 

Loving Ms oion pride, seq. Being selfish and self- 
reliant. 

Bombast circumstance. High-sounding phrases. 
Fustian. 

Nonsuits my mediators. Refuses to grant the re- 
quest of my three friends. 

Certes. Certainly. 

VHiat. Who. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 254. 

Arithmetician. I.e., a civilian, not a military man. 

Florentine. In II. 1, Cassio is described as A 
Veronese. This may be ignorance on the part of 
the speaker, or it ma}^ be an unintentional error of 
Shakespeare. He cared very little for accuracy in 
minor and insignificant details. 

Damn'd in a fair icife. Cannot be explained. Cf. 
Furness, Variorum Edition of Othello, pp. 5-10. 

Bookish theoric. A knowledge which is derived 
only from books, and is therefore not practical, but 
theoretical. 

Toged. Gowned, wearing a toga. 

His eyes. Othello's eyes. 

Be-leed and calm'd. INIetaphor. Like a ship placed 
in unfavorable position in respect to wind, and in 
addition becalmed. 

Debitor and creditor . . counter-caster. Contemp- 



b HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

tuous description of Casssio, who is only a book- 
keeper, an accountant. 

Ancient. Ensign. Next in command under the 
lieutenant. 

Affined. Bound by any ties of affinity or relation- 
ship. 

Forms and visages, seq. Visible forms of duty. 

Lined their coats. Have taken care of their own 
interests. 

Native act and figure, seq. lago means when his 
conduct is the true and frank expression of his feel- 
ings he will wear Ms heart upon his sleeve for daws to 
peck at. 

Thick-lips. Roderigo's contemptuous description 
of Othello, who was not a negro, but a Moor, Cole- 
ridge says : "It is a common error to mistake the 
epithets applied by the dramatis p)erson(B to each 
other as truly descriptive of what the audience 
ought to see or know. No doubt Desdemona saw 
Othello's visage in his mind ; yet, as we are consti- 
tuted, and most surely as an English audience was 
disposed in the beginning of the seventeenth cen- 
tury, it would be something monstrous to conceive 
this beautiful Venetian girl falling in love with a 
veritable negro. It would argue a disproportionatc- 
ness, a want of balance, in Desdemona, which 
Shakespeare does not appear to have in tlie least 
contemplated." For a discussion of Othello's color, 
of. Furness's Othello, pp. 389-396. 

Rouaehim. Brabantio. 

Make after him. Othello. 

Chances. Causes. 



OTHELLO. 7 

Timorous accent. Ironical, as dire yell, which im- 
mediately follows, makes manifest. 

By night and negligence. During the night and 
owing to negligence. 

Zounds. An oath contracted from God's wounds. 

Malicious bravery. A bravery which is the result 
of liquor, and is malicious. 

My spirit arid my place, My position, which is 
one of authority, and my will have in them power, 
seq. 

Grange. A solitary farmhouse. 

In simple and pure soul. With motives that are 
good and unselfish. 

Nephew. Referred in Shakespeare's day not only 
to son of brother or sister, but also to grandchild. 

Odd-even. Hour between twelve and one o'clock 
at night. 

Knave. Not rascal, but servant. 

Tour allowance. Your approval. 

From the sense of all civility. Contrary to good 
manners. 

Extravagant and icheeling. Vagrant, wandering. 

To he produced. To appear against the Moor. 

Cast him. Dismiss him. 

Fathom. Of his depth, capacity. 

Sagittary. " A public building in Venice." 
Schmidt. Probably the place where ofllcers of army 
and navy congregated. 

Despised time. Time of very little value. Braban- 
tio means life has lost all interest for him. 

Is there not charms ? Cf . Abbott, Grammar, § 335. 

Til deserve. Be worthy of. 



HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 



Scene 2. 

Very stuff o' the conscience. Very substance, es- 
sence of a good conscience. 

Gontriv'd munler. Planned, premeditated murder. 

YerkW. Tlirust, stabbed with a sudden, quick 
motion. 

He prated. Roderigo. He is the man whom lago 
thought to have yerked, seq. 

Magnifico. ' ' Title given to Venetian grandees. " 
Schmidt. 

As double, seq. " Of twofold influence. " Schmidt. 
The Duke of Venice had a double vote in the Coun- 
cil — Brabantio's influence was nearly as great as the 
Duke's. 

Will give him cable. " Will give him scope." 
Schmidt. 

Out-tongue. Speak louder than. 

Siege. Place, rank. 

May speak unhonneted. May speak uncovered — 
i.e., freely. 

Unhoused. Othello means, had he not loved Des- 
demona he would not have foregone his freedom as 
a bachelor. 

You loere best. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, §§ 230, 
352. 

Parts. Accomplishments. 

Janus. A primitive Italic deity. Romans regard- 
ed him as the doorkeeper of heaven. He was the 
god of the sun's rising and setting. As such had two 
faces, one looking to the East, one to the West. His 
temi^le in Rome was kept open during war ; was 



OTHELLO. 9 

closed during peace. Reference to him by lago, who 
was two-faced, very suggestive. 

Some heat. Urgency, pressure. 

Hotly. Urgently. 

Spend. Utter, speak. 

Carack. A large ship. Reference is to Othello's 
marriage to Desdemona. 

To wTiof To ichomf Cf. Abbott, Grammar, 
§274. 

Have ID ith you. I'll go with you, An idiom fre- 
quently used by Shakespeare. Cf. Merry Wives of 
Windsor, II. 1. 161, 229, 239. 

Be advised. Be warned. 

To had intent. With bad intention. 

The deiD will rust them. It was night, hence Othel- 
lo's reference to dew. Observe Othello's sarcasm. 

So opposite. So opposed to. 

To incur a general mock. Run the risk of being 
mocked, ridiculed. 

Ouardage. Guard, protection. 

Judge me, seq. Let the world judge if it is not 
evident, seq. 

Weaken motion. Weaken her will. 

Disputed on. Judicially investigated. 

You of my inclining. My friends. 

Cue . . prampter. Technical terms used in theatre. 
Shakespeare was not only a writer of dramas, but 
was the stage-manager of the Globe and the Black- 
friar's theatres. He was also a stockholder in both. 

Present. Instant, immediate, pressing. 

Idle. Useless, unprofitable, unimportant. 

Pagans. * ' In Shakespeare's time pagan was a very 



10 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

common expression of contempt. " Malone. Quoted 

by Furness. 

Scene 3. 

No composition. No agreement, accord. 

These news. Shakespeare uses neics both as singu- 
lar and plural. Singular in Tempest, V. 1. 221 ; 
Richard II., III. 4. 74. Plural in Much Ado, II. 1. 
180. 

Aim. Guess, conjecture. 

Do not so secure, seq. While there is evidently a 
disagreement between these reports, that the Turks 
are sailing to Cyprus, there can be no doubt of the 
fact. 

More facile question. With greater ease capture it 
— i.e., Cyprus. 

Injointed. Joined. 

Valiant Othello. It was the policy of the Venetian 
state never to trust the command of the armies to 
native-born citizens. It was feared a successful 
native-born soldier might be a menace to the state. 

Stood in your action. Were the object of your ac- 
cusation. 

Dearest action. ' ' Dear is used of whatever touches 
us nearly, either in love or hate, joy or sorrow." 
Wright. 

Her motion blushed, seq. " Movement of the soul, 
tendency of the mind, impulse." Schmidt. 

A judgment maimed. One who could so think 
possesses defective judgment. 

Moi^e loider. Double comparatives and double 
superlatives are frequently used by Shakespeare. 

Thin habits. Metaphor for poor reasons. 



I 



OTHELLO. 11 

Question. Conversation. 

Moving accidents. Exciting accidents. 

Portance. The way I carried myself, bore myself. 

Antres. Caves, dens. 

Anthropopliagi. Man-eaters, cannibals. 

Pliant. Favorable, convenient. 

Intentively. Close and tixed attention. 

Made her such a. man. I.e., for her such a man. 
Furncss, however, and others, think it means made 
hei' the man wiio " had seen these wondrous sights, 
and been herself the hero of these distressful strokes. 
. . If Desdemona had expressed the wish to Othel- 
lo's face, that Heaven had made a husband for 
her just like Othello himself, I doubt if the latter, or 
any one else, would have softened the expression 
into a hint." 

Take up, seq. Accept the matter philosophically. 

Learn me. Teach me. Shakespeare frequently 
uses learn in this sense. 

For your sake, jewel, seq. On account of the man- 
ner in which you, nry jeicel, have acted, seq. 

Grise. Step, as Shakespeare himself defines it. 

" Olivia. That's a degree to love. 
Viola. No, not a grise." 

— Twelfth Night, III. 1. 185. 

When remedies are past. Cf. "Past cure is still 
past care." Love's Labour's, etc., V. 2. 28. " Things 
without all remedy should be without regard." Mac- 
beth, III. 2. 11. 

Fortitude of the place. Strength of Cyprus for pur- 
poses of defence. 



12 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Opinion, a sovereign mistress of effects, seq. Public 
opinion, which is a powerful cause in producing 
effects, or results, selects you as the one to defend 
Cyprus. 

Slubber. " To sully, to soil." Schmidt. 

Thrice-driven bed. " A driven bed is a bed for 
which the feathers are selected hj driving with a fan, 
which separates the light from the heavy." — John- 
son, 

Agnize. ' ' To own with pride, to enjoy. ' ' Schmidt. 

Due reference of j>lace and exhibition. The selec- 
tion of a proper place, and the making of suitable 
provision for living. 

Charter. A right, a privilege. 

My doionriglit violence, seq. My plucky determina- 
tion to marry the Moor, and my defiance of all dan- 
ger in so doing. 

Very quality. Personality, nature. 

My speculative and offic'd instruments. "The 
speculative and active instruments, which are foiled, 
are the thoughts and the senses ; the speculative and 
offic'd instrument, which is seeled, is the whole man 
in meditation and in action." Knight. 

Skillet. " A boiler, a kettle." Schmidt. 

Indign. Disgraceful. 

Delighted. That which delights. 

Look to her, Moor, seq. This passage is a fine ex 
ample of dramatic foreshadowing. 

An hour of love, seq. An hour to devote to love, to 
business, and to the giving of orders for the expedi- 
tion. 

Fond. Silly. 



OTHELLO. 13 

Virtue! a fig! seq. " This speech comprises the 
passionless character of lago. It is all will in intel- 
lect ; and therefore he is here a bold partisan of a 
truth, but yet of a truth converted into a falsehood 
by the absence of all the necessary modifications 
caused by the frail nature of man. And then comes 
the last sentiment — Ou7' raging 7notions, our carnal 
stings, our unhitted lusts : whereof I take this, that you 
call — love, to he a sect, or scion ! Here is the true 
lagoism of, alas ! how many ! Note lago's pride of 
mastery in the repetition of Go, make money ! to bis 
anticipated dupe, even stronger than his love of 
lucre ; and when Roderigo is completely w^on — I am 
changed. I'll sell all my land — when the effect has 
been fully produced, the repetition of triumph — 
Go to; fareicell ; jnit money enough in your purse. 
The remainder — lago's soliloquy — the motive-hunt- 
ing of a motiveless malignity — how awful it is ! 
Yea, whilst he is still allowed to bear the divine im- 
age, it is too fiendish for his own steady view — for 
the lonely gaze of a being next to devil, and only 
not quite devil— and yet a character which Shake- 
speare has attempted and executed, without disgust 
and without scandal!" Coleridge, "Lectures on 
Shakespeare," Bohn's edition, pp. 387, 388. 

Corrigible. Corrective, 

JJnUtted. Unbridled, uncontrolled. 

Perdurable. Durable. 

Defeat thy famr, seq. Disguise yourself with a 
false beard. 

Sequestration. Separation. lago means as the 
commencement was violent, so will the end be. 



14 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Goloquintida, Colocynth. A bitter medicine. 
To plump up. To make to triumph. 
Abuse Othello's ear. Betray his confidence by de- 
ceiving him. 
Dispose. "Disposition, temper." Sclxmidt. 

ACT II. 

Scene 1. 

Cyprus was annexed to Venice circa 1469-1471. 
It remained in the possession of Venice until 1570- 
1571. The scene of the action of this drama is 
wholly in Cyprus. 

Mortise. A cavity cut into a piece of timber to re- 
ceive the end of another piece, which is called a tenon. 

Segregation. Breaking in pieces, destruction, sepa- 
ration. 

Chidden. Used here figuratively, meaning noisy. 

Embay* d. Within a bay or harbor. 

JDesignment. Enterprise. 

A Veronese, seq. Shakespeare has already (I. 1. 20) 
said Cassio was a Florentine. By J. Yeromse he may 
mean a ship of that name. Or, which is probably 
the explanation, he here refers to Cassio and makes 
a mistake. 

On't. " On is frequently used where we use ' of ' 
in the sense of 'about,' etc." Abbott, Grammar, 
§181. 

Aa indistinct regard. Until the sea and the sky 
are lost in an indistinct view. 

Expert and approv'd allowance. ' ' This is put for 
allow'd and approv'd expertness." Steevens. 



OTHELLO. 15 

Therefore my hopes, seq. Furness says this passage 
is to liim "unintelligible." Cassio, I think, means 
although his hopes have been severely taxed, they 
are not entirely destroyed. 

Essential vesture of creation, seq. Her real quali- 
ties are such that he who attempts to describe them 
grows weary in the effort. 

Gutter' d rocks . . congregated sands, seq. Rocks 
with fissures in them, sands gathered and forming 
shoals. 

Footing. Landing. 

Extincted. Quenched. 

Sir, iDould she give, seq. " lago's answers are the 
sneers which a proud, bad intellect feels towards 
woman, and expresses to a wife. Surely it ought to 
be considered a very exalted compliment to women, 
that all the sarcasms on them in Shakespeare are put 
in the mouths of villains." Coleridge. 

List. Inclination. 

Marry, before, seq. lago, addressing Desdemona, 
tells her that Emilia, in her presence, is silent, but 
chides with her thoughts. 

Pictures out of doors. " This refers to the ' paint- 
ings' with which Hamlet taxes women, III. 1. 142 : 
' I have heard of your paintings too, well enough ; 
God has given you one face, and you make your- 
selves another.'" Furness. 

Saints in your injuries. When injuring other 
persons you are sanctimonious. 

Frize. ' ' A kind of coarse woollen stuff. " Schmidt. 

White. "There is a play on white and wight 



16 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

(Schmidt) ; and on folly, wbicli was often = wanton- 
ness." Kolfe. 

Authority of her merit, seq. " One who, in the 
consciousness of her own merit, dare challenge the 
testimony of malice itself in her behalf." Rolfe. 

God's head . . salmon's tail. Give up something 
desirable, of much value, for another thing of less 
value. 

Wight. A person, either male or female. 

Suckle fools, seq. Nurse children and keep petty 
household accounts. 

Profane. Gross, coarse. 

Liberal. Licentious. 

Speaks home. I.e., with freedom and to the 
point. 

Well said. Well done. 

Oyve. Catch, 

Wonder. Surprise. 

Set down the pegs. A musical term. Meaning not 
very clear. It may mean to put the music in a lower 
key ; that is, less triumphant, more pathetic. 

Well-desir'd. Your society much courted. 

Lay thy finger thus. Put thy finger on thy lips to 
signify silence. 

Favour. Appearance. 

Conscionable. Conscientious. 

Salt. Figuratively, lecherous. 

Slipper. Used as an adjective, slippery. 

Can stamp. Can "make valid and current (by 
marking with an impression)." Schmidt, 

Paddle. "Corruption of pattle, to pat gently." 
Purrell. 



OTHELLO. 17 

TM command Til layH, seq. The command or order 
that I will give to you. 

Tainting. Questioning, slurring. 

Whose qualification shall come, seq. lago means 
that Cassio will so act as to cause a mutiny among 
the officers and men of the garrison. That that 
mutiny will not be quelled except by the displanting 
or removing of Cassio from his rank as lieutenant. 

To prefer. To promote. 

Bring it to any opportunity. I.e., find a favorable 
opportunity. 

Judgment cannot cure. A jealousy so strong and 
all-pervading that it cannot be cured or controlled 
by judgment. 

Poor trash . . whom I trash Trash is a hunting 
term, and means held in check, lago means if I 
check, control Roderigo, I can catch Cassio on the 
hip. 

Rank. "Lustful." Schmidt. " In the coarsest fash- 
ion." Rolfe. The Folio has Right. Furness prefers 
that reading, which he considers correct. He says : 
" lago's plans are not settled, all is 'but yet con- 
fus'd,' details will depend on circumstances as they 
arise ; the main point is to get Cassio on the hip, and 
then abuse him to the Moor in the right garh, in the 
best fashion, whatever that fashion may turn out to 
be," seq. 

Emn to madness. "Here we have, perhaps, the 
most appalling outcome of lago's proper character 
— namely, a pride of intellect, or lust of the brain, 
which exults, above all things, in being able to make 
himself and others pass for just the reverse of what 



18 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

they are ; that is, in being an overmatch for truth 
and Nature themselves. And this soliloquy is, I am 
apt to think, Shakespeare's supreme instance of 
psychologic subtilty and insight ; as it is also lago's 
most pregnant disclosure of his real springs of 
action. . . For it is not that lago really believes or 
suspects that either Cassio or Othello has wronged 
him in the way he intimates ; he is merely seeking 
to opiate or appease certain qualms of conscience by 
a sort of extemporized make-believe in that kind." 
Hudson. 

Scene 2. 

Mere. "Unmixed with anything else ; hence, hy 
inference, intact, complete." Abbott, Grammar, 
§ 15. 

Addiction. Inclination, preference. 

Scene 3. 

Good Michael. ' ' These few words, seemingly in- 
significant, are of important dramatic use. They 
give augmented effect to Othello's subsequent anger 
at Cassio's being betrayed not only into neglect of 
duty in preserving order, but into breach of order 
himself ; while they set well before the mind 
Othello's trust and confidence in Cassio as his chosen 
oflicer, and his liking for him as a personal friend, 
calling him by his Christian name, ' Michael,' which, 
after the one final appeal, ' How comes it, Michael, 
you are thus forgot ? ' he never again uses." Cowden- 
Clarke. 

Cast. Dismissed. Cf. I. 1. 150. 

An eye, seq. Cf. Merchant of Venice, I. 1. 164, 



OTHELLO. 19 

" From her eyes I did receive fair speechless mes- 
sages." 

Stoup. A drinking vessel. 

Craftily qualified. Secretly diluted with water. .; 

It dislikes me. ' ' An abundance of impersonal verbs 
is a mark of an early stage in a language, denoting 
that a speaker has not yet arrived so far in develop- 
ment as to trace his own actions and feelings to his 
own agency. There are many more impersonal 
verbs in early English than in Elizabethan, and many 
more in Elizabethan than in modern English," seq. 
Abbott, Grammar, § 297. 

Pottle-deep. "To the bottom of the tankard." 
Schmidt. 

Noble swelling spirits, seq. Noblemen, full of spirit, 
who pride themselves on their honor, and who are 
numbered among the very best men on the island. 

If consequence, seq. If the results are in harmony 
with any hopes, my dream, seq. 

A rouse. A copious drink. 

Almain. German. 

Lown. A base fellow. 

Direction. Command. 

Equinox. "The equal length of the day and the 
night." Schmidt. lago means Cassio's drunken- 
ness is as great a vice as his military skill is a virtue. 

Horologe. A clock. Cassio will watch the clock 
"a double set" — i.e., twenty -four hours if he has 
no drink. 

Twiggen bottle. Bottle covered with straw. 

Mazzard. The head. Cf. Hainlet, V. 1. 97. 

Who's, that, which, seq. On use of who, ichich, that 



20 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

by Elizabethan writers, of. Abbott, Grammar, 
§ 258, seq. 

To carve, seq. To cut with his sword because he 
is enraged. 

In quarter, and in terms, seq. In the places they 
occupied, and in the terms with which they ad- 
dressed each other, seq. 

Censure. Judgment. Cfe^^s^<:?'e is used again in V. 
2. 368, where it means judicial sentence. 

Unlace. Slacken. Do not guard carefully. 

Self -charity . Kindness to one's self. 

Safer-guides. Judgment. 

Collied. "Blackened, darkened." Schmidt. Othel- 
lo means his judgment is for the time being blinded 
by his anger. 

Approved. Proven guilty. 

Lose me. That is, shall receive my condemnation. 

Affin'd, or leagu'd in office, seq. Joined by affinity, 
or being a colleague in office, seq. 

louch me not, seq. Do not appeal to me in that 
way. 

lago's description of the affray to Othello is mas- 
terly. It is unimpassioned, crafty, apparently friend- 
ly to Cassio. Its purpose is to ruin Cassio in Othel- 
lo's estimation, which it effectually does. 

Sweeting. A kind of sweet apple. Here used as 
term of endearment. 

Cast in his mood. " Ejected in his anger." John- 
son. 

Moraler. " Er is sometimes appended to a noun 
for the purpose of signifying an agent." Abbott, 
Grammar, § 443. Moraler is one who moralizes. 



OTHELLO. 21 

Familiar. " Pertaining to the house and family, 
attached and serviceable to men." Schmidt. 

This advice is free. Frank. 

Prohal to thinking. On reflection probable. 

Weak function. "The operation of the mental 
faculties." Schmidt. Furness says of this defini- 
tion : "Very, very doubtful." He does not, how- 
ever, tell us what is the meaning. I think \>j func- 
tion is meant the will and the ability to do what one 
wishes. Desdemona is so beloved by Othello that 
she can control both his will and his ability. 

Repeals him. Wishes him forgiven and restored to 
his position. 

Bring him jump. Bring him exactly, pat, at the 
time, when, seq. 

ACT III. 
Scene 1. 

Masters, play here. This refers to the Venetian 
custom of awaking a married couple, the day after 
marriage, with music. 

Content. Satisfy, remunerate. 

Naples. Refers to the nasal twang which was 
common among the Neapolitans. 

In wholesome wisdom, seq. Prudence forbids that 
he should grant your request. 

Scene 3. 

Ihat policy, seq. Cassio fears Othello's policy may 
keep him out of oflace a long time, or may depend 
on trivial matters. 

Walch liim tame. ' ' Alluding to the practice of 
taming hawks by keeping them from sleep. Rolfe." 



22 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Present reconciliation take. Accept his penitence 
and be reconciled to him. 

Mammering. Hesitating. 

Fearful. Causing apprehension. " Desdemona 
means to say that, when she really prefers a suit that 
shall task the love of Othello, it shall be one difficult 
to determine ; and when determined, hard to be 
undertaken." Knight. 

Wretch. In Elizabethan English frequently a 
term of endearment, and so used here. 

Purse. Wrinkle. 

Delations, working from the heart, seq. Accusa- 
tions, denunciations, proceeding from a man who is 
unimpassioned, controlled by a cool judgment. 

Leets and law-days, seq. " Who has so virtuous a 
breast that some uncharitable surmises and impure 
conceptions will not sometimes enter into it ; hold a 
session there as in a regular court, and ' bench by 
the side ' of authorized and lawful thoughts ?" Ma- 
lone. 

Vicious. "Wrong." Schmidt. " F^acws doth not 
signify here, wrong or mistaken, but apt to put the 
worst construction upon everything. " Heath. lago 
confesses that he has a jealous nature in order to 
evoke Othello's confidence. 

The green-eyed monster, which doth mock, seq. Some 
editors believe that mock should be make. This is 
doubtful. I think the meaning is Jealousy is a mon- 
ster which mocks its victim — i.e., the man or woman 
who is jealous. Cf. Furness in loco where the ques- 
tion is discussed exhaustively. 

Fineless. Limitless, boundless. 



OTHELLO. 23 

Exsufflicate. "Probably synonymous to blown, ~ 
empty, unsubstantial, frivolous." Schmidt. 

And so she did. "In this little speech of four 
monosyllabic words is contained the moral of Des- 
demona's fate. Had Othello been able to refute as a 
foul calumny this insinuated truth of lago's, the 
villain's scheme must have come to naught at once. 
But, unhappily, Desdemona's timidity has led her 
to conceal from her father her love for the Moor by 
affecting to dread him ; and this former deviation 
from strict honesty is now enabling a traitor to un- 
dermine her husband's faith in her honour." Clarke. 

My goxernment. My self-control. 

Haggard. A wild, untrained hawk. 

Jesses. "Straps of leather or silk, with which 
hawks were tied by the legs." Schmidt. 

Let her down the wind. " The falconers always let 
fly the hawk against the wind ; if she flies with the 
wind behind her she seldom returns." Johnson. 
Othello means he will cast off Desdemona forever. 

Chamherers. Men who indulge in intrigues. 

Prerogativ'd. "Privileged, exempt from certain 
evils." Schmidt. 

This forked jilague. The horns of the cuckold. 

Quicken. Live. 

To the advantage. " /, being opjjortunely here, took 
it up." Johnson. 

Be not acknoimi. Do not acknowledge. 

Mandragora. Mandrake ; a soporific. 

Ow'dst. Didst own. 

Pioners. Common soldiers, who had been de- 
graded and were menials. 



24 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Probation. Proof. 

Conclusion. "Experiment, trial." Malone. Cf. 
Antony and Cleo. , V. 2. 358. 

Shreicd doubt. Well-grounded suspicion. 

Hearted throne. " The heart on which thou wast 
enthroned. ' ' Johnson. 

Fraught. Load, contents. 

Pontic Sea. The Black Sea. 

Capable. Capacious. 

Marble heaven. Schmidt thinks marble may here 
mean eternal. Furness thinks it refers "to color, 
aglow with lacing streaks, and not to texture or to 
substance." 

Remorse. Probably used here in sense of jpity. 
Pity for Othello leads me to obey, seq. 

Scene 4. 

To lie in mine own throat. ' ' This meant to utter 
a wilful lie. 'To lie in the teeth 'was less inten- 
tional, and gave less offence." Hunter. 

Crusadoes. A Portuguese coin, so called from a 
cross being stamped upon it, worth three shillings. 

Moist. A moist hand was supposed to indicate a 
warm, passionate nature. 

Sequester. " Sequestration, separation, seclusion." 
Schmidt. 

Our new heraldry, seq. Othello means that of old, 
a marriage meant a union of hearts as well as of 
hands. Our new heraldry — i.e., the present custom, 
joins hands in marriage, but not always hearts. 

Sorry. " Sore, painful." Schmidt. 

To give it her. I.e., to my wife. 



OTHELLO. 25 

The sun to course, seq. The sun to run two hun- 
dred annual circuits. 

Dyed in mummy. ' ' The balsamic liquor that 
oozed from mummies was supposed to have medici- 
nal properties." Rolfe. 

'Tis not a year, seq. It takes longer than a year or 
two to reveal to us a man's character. The inference 
is Desdemona must not be surprised at this change in 
Othello, to whom she has been married but a brief time. 

Office. Duty. 

S/nit myself up, seq. Await patiently for return- 
ing fortune. 

Blank. "The wJiite mark at which the shot or 
arrows were aimed." Steevens. 

Unhatch'd x>Tactice. Treason. 

Paddled. Made muddy. 

Sucli observancy. Such gentle, loving conduct as 
jits the bridal. 

Woman' d. Accompanied by a woman. On Verbs 
Passive, cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 294. 

Circumstanced. Governed by circumstances. 

ACT IV. 

Scene 1. 

Hypocrisy against the devil. To indulge in such 
liberties and yet stop short of gross sin is cheating 
the devil. 

The raven. Cf . Macbeth, I. 5. 39, seq. 

Dotage. Doting. 

Supplied. " To gratify the desire of, to content." 
Schmidt. 



26 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

To confess, seq. Othello quotes an old proverb. 
He is laboring under intense excitement. His lan- 
guage is, therefore, incoherent. 

Nature, seq. Othello may refer to his terribly dis- 
turbed condition, being in such shadowing passion, 
and infer that there must be some real cause for it. I 
know of no explanation of the passage which is per- 
fectly satisfactory. 

His. In Shakespeare's time " i?is still represented 
the genitive of It as well as of He.'' Cf. Abbott, 
Grammar, § 228. 

A homed man's, seq. A cuckold. 

Unproper. " Indecent, with a double meaning." 
Schmidt. 

The spite of hell. " Schmidt makes spite = ' morti- 
fication, vexation,' but it seems rather to be = mal- 
ice." Rolfe. 

Ecstasy. " A fainting fit. a swoon." Schmidt. 

Encave. En- was frequently used, sometimes in 
its proper sense of enclosing," seq. Abbott, Gram- 
mar, § 440. 

Housewife. A hussy. 

Unbookish. Ignorant, unskilled. 

The addition. Title of lieutenant. 

Fitchew. Polecat. The cant term for a strumpet. 

JJnprovide my mind. " Divest it of resolution." 
Schmidt. 

With all my heart, sir. ' ' The phrase is used both 
as a reply to a salutation (= I thank you with all my 
heart), Lear, IV. 6. 32 ; and as a salutation {= I greet 
you with all my heart), Timon of Athens, III. 6. 
27." Clarke. 



OTHELLO. 27 

She falls. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, §291. 
Goats and monkeys. Otliello recalls Iago*s refer- 
ence to them in III. 3. 403. 
Not Jwnesty. Not proper. 

Scene 2, 

Some of your function, seq. ' ' Othello taunts Emilia 
with having made a traffic in connivance at stolen 
meetings between Cassio and Desdemona, and now 
bids her give a specimen of her proficiency in her 
avocation." Clarke. 

A fixed figure, seq. Othello means he could endure 
being made by men an object of scorn. 

Turn thy complexion, seq. To be what Othello has 
described Avould cause Patience to change her com- 
jflexion and to look grim as hell. 

Ignorant sin. Unknown sin. 

Commoner. Strumpet. 

Office ojyposiie, seq. Saint Peter keeps the gate of 
heaven. Desdemona, so Othello asserts, has the office 
opposite — viz., the gate of hell. 

There's money, seq. Addressed not to Desdemona, 
but to Emilia. 

Callat. A harlot. 

Beshreio. " Originally a mild, indeed very mild, 
form of imprecation, = woe to." Schmidt. 

Cogging, cozening. Cheating. 

Companions. Used contemptuously, fellow^s. 

Speak within door. Speak softly, so as not to be 
heard outside. 

Discourse of thought. Reflection. 

Defeat. Destroy. 



28 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Daffest. Turn me aside ; delay me. 

Votarist. ' ' One who has taken a vow. " Schmidt, 

Respect. Consideration. 

Fobbed. Cheated, deluded. 

Intendment. Intention. 

Mauritania. Morocco. 

High. Full, complete. 

Night grows, seq. Is rapidly passing. 
Scene 3. 

Incontinent. Immediately. 

Unpin me. Remove the pins, undress me. 

AlVs one. It is all right. 

Her fortune. Her fate. 

Much to do. ' ' I'o do is sometimes used for ado ; but 
in the present passage the verb may have its ordinary 
meaning : Ihave to do much ; that is, to make a great 
effort." Rolfe. 

The poor soul, seq. This is an old ballad. It is 
quoted by Furness, Vide his edition of Othello, in loco. 

As many to the vantage. As many in addition, as 
would store, seq. 

Our former having. " Allowance, pin mone}^" 
Schmidt. 

Not to pick bad from bad, seq. Not to do wrong 
because my husband has wronged me. 

ACT V. 

Scene 1. 

Bulk. "A part of a building jutting out." 
Schmidt. 

Quat. A pimple. Rubbing it to the sense is rub- 
bing it till it is painful. 



OTHELLO. 29 

Bobb'd. Obtained by fraud, deceit. 
M) 2}(issage ? No one passing ? 
Heavy night. Cloudy or gloomy night. 
Gasiness. Gliastliness, 

Foil. " Exclamation of contempt or abhorrence." 
Schmidt. 

Scene 2. 

The cause, seq. Othello nerves himself for the 
killing of Desdemona by referring to the cause of his 
action — viz., her unfaithfulness, which he believes to 
be a fact. 

Pat out the light, seq. Othello first refers to the 
light of the candle, afterward to the light of Des- 
demona's life. 

Forfend. Forbid. 

Concejytion. Belief. 

Ta'en order. Taken measures. 

Apt Natural. 

Charm. Eestrain, control. 

I thought so then. Cf. IV. 2. 130, seq. 

Shows. Has the appearance of ; appears to be. 

Shore. Cut the thread of his life. 

Reprobance. "Perdition, eternal damnation." 
Schmidt. 

Recognizance. Badge, pledge. 

As liberal as the north. "As freely as the north 
wind blows." Rolfe. 

By fortune. By chance, by accident. 

Filth. "Used as a term of extreme contempt, 
when applied to persons." Schmidt. 

Precious villain. Precious here used ironically. 



30 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Honesty. " Honourableness, first claim to be re- 
spected." Schmidt. 

The ice-brook's temper. The steel of which has 
been tempered by being thrust, when hot, into a 
brook, icy cold. 

Tour stop. Your power to check me. 

Butt. " Goal, bound." Schmidt. 

Lost. Grroundless. 

Rush. "A plant used before the introduction of 
carpets, to strow the floors of apartments. " Used here 
" as a symbol of weakness and inefficiency. ' ' Schmidt. 

Compt. Reckoning — i.e., the judgment-da3^ 

Hook clown towards his feet. " To see if they are 
cloven." Rolfe. 

Practice. " Artifice, stratagem, insidious device." 
Schmidt. Cf. I. 3. 102 ; III. 4. 141. 

Discontented paper. "A letter full of dissatisfac- 
tion." Schmidt. 

Cast. Dismissed. 

Indian. The first Folio has Judean. Halliwell 
accepts that reading, and believes the reference is to 
Judas Iscariot. Furness endorses this opinion. The 
reference, however, is recondite. The opinions of 
editors are very contradictory and unsatisfactory. 
The subject is exhaustively discussed by Furness, 
Variorum edition, pp. 327-331. 

Spartan dog. Spartan dogs were noted for their 
ferocity. lago has ]M^t decXs^red. he nemr will speak 
word. Singer says, ' ' The reference seems to be to 
the determined silence of lago, and to the proverbial 
silence of the Spartans under suffering, as well as to 
the savageness of the dogs." 



OTHELLO. 81 

III. Table of Acts and Scenes in which each 
character appears. Also, number of lines 
spoken by each character. Also, grouping 
of minor characters, to be read in a read- 
ing club by one person. 

No of 
Lines, 
1117 lago, 1,1,2,3; II, 1,3; 111,1,2,3,4; IV, 1,2; V, 

1,2. 
888 Othello, 1,2,3; 11,1,3; 111,2,3,4; IV, 1, 2, 3 ; 

V, 1, 2. 
289 Cassio, I, 2 ; II, 1, 3 ; III, 1, 3, 4 ; IV, 1 ; V, 1, 2. 
139 Brabantio, I, 1, 2, 3. 

123 Roderigo, I, 1, 2, 3 ; II, 1, 3 ; IV, 2 ; V, 1. 
76 Ludovico, IV, 1,3; V, 1, 2. 
73 Duke, I, 3. 
61 Montano, II, 1, 3 ; V, 2. 
30 Clown, III, 1, 4. 
28 Isf, Senator, I, 3. 
26 Gratiano, V, 1,2. 
17 3d Gentleman, II, 1. 
14 2d Gentleman, II, 1. 
13 Herald, II, 2. 
9 Messenger, I, 3. 
5 1st Officer, I, 2, 3. 
5 2d Senator, I, 3. 
5 "All,'' II, 1, 3 ; V, 2. 
5 1st Musician, III, 1. 
4 Sailor, I, 3. 

4 1st Gentleman, II, 1, III, 2. 
2 4th Gentleman, II, 1 . 
388 Desdemona, I, 3 ; II, 1, 3 ; III, 3, 4 ; IV, 1, 2, 3 ; V, 2. 
245 Emilia, II 1 ; III, 1, 3, 4 ; IV, 2, 3 ; V, 1, 2. 
36 Bianca, III, 4 ; IV, 1 ; V, 1. 
1st Officer. ) 

4th Gentleman, f 
2d Senator. | 
Ist Gentleman. ) 
Sailor. j 

1st Musician. f 



32 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 



ACT I. 
IV. Questions. 

1. What is tlie source of the plot of this play ? 

2. "What are the differences between Cinthio's 
novel and Shakespeare's drama ? 

3. What dramatic purpose does Shakespeare effect 
in making these clianges ? 

4. To wliat does Roderigo allude by, sliouldst 
know of this, and lago by, such a matter f 

5. To whom does Roderigo refer, hold him in thy 
hate? 

6. What dramatic effect did Shakespeare produce 
by tliese vague hints ? 

Ans. His purpose was to arouse the interest and 
curiosity of the spectators of the drama. 

7. What was one cause of lago's hatred of the 
Moor as outlined in his first conversation with Rod- 
erigo ? 

8. What is lago's character as inferred from the 
same conversation ? 

9. What does he say of his own worth ? 

10. Why does Roderigo hate Othello ? 

11. Roderigo describes Othello as thick-lips. Was 
he a negro ? 

12. What does Othello say in III. 3. as to his color ? 

13. What was the /Srt5'^Yi«ry.^ 

14. What example of Character-Grouping is there 
in I. 2 ? 

Ans. Othello, lago, Cassio and certain officers with 
torches. Over against them Brabantio, Roderigo, and 
officers with torches and weapons- 



OTHELLO. 33 

15. Where do the events recorded in I. 3. take 
place ? 

16. What was tlie goveruioi,^ body at Venice at 
this time ? 

17. What were the relative positions and powers of 
Dukes and Senators ? 

18. What has caused the convening of the Council 
of State ? 

19. What reports of the danger threatening Cy- 
prus are brought by the different messengers ? 

20. Why did the government of Venice confide the 
leadership of its armies to foreigners ? 

21. What is the dramatic purpose of Othello's de- 
tailed account of his courtship and marriage ? 

22. Also, of Desdemona's description of the 
same ? 

23. Brabantio ascribes Othello's conquest of Des- 
demona to witchcraft. What were the current notions 
on this subject in Shakespeare's day ? Cf. " Folk- 
Lore of Shakespeare," Dyer, chap. ii. 

24. What is the dramatic purpose of Brabantio's 
warning to the Moor she has deceived, seq. ? 

Ajis. To foreshadow future events and prepare the 
spectator for them. 

25. What events are thereby foreshadowed ? 

26. What is the purpose and what the effect of 
lago's conversation with Roderigo, toward the close 
of I. 3 ? 

27. At the end of Act I. lago soliloquizes. What is 
the function of a soliloquy in a drama ? 

A}is. To reveal the hidden springs of action in the 
soliloquizer. 



34 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

28. What is the dramatic f uuctiou of lago's last 
soliloquy in Act I. ? 

A71S. To foreshadow the plot of the drama. la it 
lago reveals his purpose and his plot to ruin Cassio 
and Othello. 

29. lago soliloquizes as much as, probabl}'^ more 
than, any other of Shakespeare's characters. Why ? 

A?is. It would be as impossible for the spectator of 
the play to judge correctly lago's actions as it was 
for Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, unless he had re- 
vealed his sinister and diabolic motives in these so- 
liloquies. 

30. Why does Shakespeare change blank-verse to 
prose in the conversation between lago and Roder- 
igo ? Cf. Abbott, Grammar, §§ 515-515«. 

31 . What has been accomplished by Shakespeare 
in Act I. ? 

Ans. I. All the principal characters have been in- 
troduced. Who were they ? II. All necessary in- 
formation has been given as to the causes of the 
action of the drama. What were those causes ? 
III. Two events which are disturbing and tragic, 
and which are intended to foreshadow the tragedy of 
the play, are mentioned. What are they ? a. Dis- 
tress of Brabantio at the elopement and marriage 
of his daughter, b. Impending attack of the Turks 
on Cyprus. 

32. It is a canon of dramatic art that the principal 
characters in a drama must reveal their salient traits 
early in the drama. What are the principal charac- 
teristics of Roderigo, lago, Othello, Desdemona, as 
those persons are described in Act I. ? 



OTHELLO. 35 

33. Wliat was Othello's conception of marital love ? 

34. What was Desdemona's ? 

35. What was lago's ? 

36. How do Othello and Desdemona compare, as 
lovers, with Bassanio and Portia, with Romeo and 
Juliet ? 

37. In one respect lago and Richard III. are alike. 
What is that ? 

Ans. Both appear in the beginning of the dramas 
as fully developed villains. Compare these char- 
acters from this point of view. 

38. In what respect are lago and Macbeth unlike ? 
Am. Macbeth gradually grows in wickedness. 

Contrast these characters from this standpoint. 

39. Shakespeare ends Sc. 2 with a rhyming couplet 
free, be; also Sc. 3, night, light. Also several other 
scenes in this play. Why did he change from blank- 
verse to rhyme at the end of these scenes ? 

Ans. There was no drop-curtain in the Elizabethan 
theatres. It is supposed these rhyming couplets were 
intended to inform the audience of the end of a 
scene. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 515. 

40. Why does Brabantio not appear after Act I. ? 
Ans. Because he took no part in the main action 

of this drama. 

ACT II. 

41. Why does Shakespeare usher in the action of 
this drama with a storm ? 

43. When, and under what circumstances, did 
Venice obtain control of Cyprus ? 
43. How long did it retain that control ? 



36 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

44. What dramatic purpose did Shakespeare effect 
by destroying the Turkish fleet ? 

Ans. This drama is not in its scope international, 
as is Henry V.; nor national, as \^ Richard III. It is 
domestic. Its cause is a marriage, its scene is the 
home of Othello and Desdemona. The dramatic 
purpose of the threatened attack of the Turkish 
fleet upon Cyprus was to bring Othello and Desde- 
mona and the others to that island. Having accom- 
plished that, Shakespeare wrecked the Turkisli fleet. 

45. Cassio is here described as a Veronese. In Act 
I. lago said he was a Florentine. What is the ex- 
planation of this discrepancy ? 

46. What is Cassio 's description of Desdemona ? 

47. What is the dramatic purpose of this description? 

48. What is the nature and purpose of the con- 
versation at the beginning of Sc. 1 between lago, 
Emilia, Desdemona ? 

Ans. I. It is an episode. II. It temporarily stops 
the movement of the action of the drama. 

49. This conversation is followed by an Aside of 
lago. What is its purpose ? 

Ans. To reveal his thoughts and plans, 

50. What revelations of themselves and their plans 
do lago and Roderigo make in their conversation in 
Sc. 1? 

51. What information does Shakespeare give us 
by means of lago's soliloquy at the end of Sc. 1 ? 

Ans. lago's real opinion of the Moor ; his sus- 
picion of the Moor's adultery with Emilia ; his pur- 
pose to ruin Othello by enkindling his jealousy ; his 
intention to have Cassio on the hip. 



OTHELLO. 37 

52. Where else does Shakespeare use the phrase, 
on the 7iip ? 

Ans. Merchant of Venice, I. 3. 47. 

53. What is the origin of this phrase ? 

Ans. Brewer says: "The term is derived from 
wrestlers, who seize the adversary by the hip and 
throw him." 

54. What was the Herald's proclamation ? 

55. What was the effect of the drinkiug-bout on 
Cassio ? 

56. What was the effect on his fortunes ? 

57. What is Cassio's description of drunkenness ? 

58. Is Shakespeare's portrayal of Cassio's grief 
and penitence true to nature ? 

59. Is the character of Cassio consistent ? 

60. AYhat does lago say of the drinking habits of 
Englishmen, Danes, Germans, Hollanders ? 

61. What revelation does lago give of himself and 
his plans in the soliloquies at the end of Sc. 3 ? 

62. Why does he treat Roderigo so cavalierly, say- 
ing, Nay, get thee gone ? 

Ans. Roderigo was his principal instrument in 
effecting the ruin of Cassio, That having been ac- 
complished, lago temporarily dismisses him. 

68. What has Shakespeare effected in Act II. ? 

Ans. He portrays lago's successful accomplish- 
ment of the ruin of Cassio. 

ACT III. 

64. Of what custom of the Venetians does Shake- 
speare make dramatic use at the beginning of this 
act? 



o8 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

65. What is the explauation of the Clown's ques 
tion, have your instraments been in Naples? 

66. What is the dramatic purpose of the iutroduc- 
tion here of music, tlie Clown, humor ? 

Ans. By means of Contrast to make more tragic 
the ruin of Othello, the portrayal of which is de- 
scribed in this Act. Its purpose and effect is similar 
to that of the Graveyard scene in Hamlet, which 
immediately precedes the deaths of the Queen, King, 
Laertes, Hamlet. 

67. How does Desdemona in Sc. 3 respond to 
Cassio's appeal for her aid to regain Othello's favor ? 

68. What effect does Desdemona's action have on 
Othello ? 

69. In what words does Othello describe his first 
doubt of Desdemona's loyalty ? 

Ans. Excellent wretch, seq. 

70. What did wretch mean in Elizabethan English ? 

71. Did Cassio know of Othello's wooing of Des- 
demona ? 

72. Why did he pretend ignorance of it (I. 2) to 
lago ? 

Ans. His knowledge he believed to be confidential. 

73. What does lago say about Good name? 

74. What about f/grt^owsy.^ 

75. What warning of lago echoes a warning of 
Brabantio ? 

Ans. She did deceive her father, seq. 

76. What was the effect on Othello of lago's crafty 
and baseless insinuations against Desdemona ? 

77. What does Othello mean If I do prove her hag- 
gard, seq. 



OTHELLO. 39 

78. What dramatic use is made of Desdemona's 
handkerchief ? 

79. How did Emilia unwittingly assist lago to en- 
snare Othello ? 

80. What comparison does Othello make between 
his bloody thoughts and the Pontic Sea? 

81. What practical form does Othello's revenge 
take? 

Ans. He engages lago to kill Cassio. He deter- 
mines to slay Desdemona himself. 

82. What is the dramatic function of the Clown in 
Sc. 4? 

Ans. By means of Contrast to intensify the tragic 
effect. 

83. What does Desdemona say about the lost hand- 
kerchief ? 

84. What is a crusadoe ? 

85. Does Desdemona think Othello is jealous ? 

86. What does Emilia say on this subject ? 

87. What is the meaning of Othello's remark to 
Desdemona, this liand is moist? 

88. What is Othello's description of the handker- 
chief ? 

89. Was Desdemona truthful in her statement, 
that the handkerchief is not lost, or was she simply 
mistaken ? 

90. Is she a hypocrite, or does she simply lack 
moral courage, or is she temporarily disconcerted ? 

91. Did she deceive her father as he, and as lago 
later, asserted ? 

93. Is the portrayal of her character consistent ? 
93. How does she compare with Cordelia ? 



40 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

94. What does Desdemoua think may have caused 
Othello's rage ? 

95. What is Emilia's description of jealousy ? 
Ans. But jealous souls will not be answered so, seq. 

96. What dramatis persona makes a first entry at 
the end of Sc. 4 ? 

97. What is Bianca's character ? 

98. Why has she not appeared before ? 

99. Does her appearance at this time violate the 
canon of dramatic art that all the principal char- 
acters must appear at the beginning of a drama ? 

Ans. No. Because she is of minor importance in 
the action of the drama. 

100. Why does Shakespeare portray her as jeal- 
ous ? 

Ans. The minor characters in a drama are, to a 
certain extent, reflections of the principal ones. In 
The Merchant of Venice the love of Portia and 
Bassanio is reflected in the loves of Gratiano and 
Nerissa, of Lorenzo and Jessica. Here Bianca reflects 
the jealousy of lago, Othello, Roderigo. 

101. What dramatic purpose is effected by this 
interview between Bianca and Cassio ? 

Ans. The revelation of a new phase of Cassio's 
character. 

102. What has Shakespeare accomplished in Act 
III. ? 

Ans. Othello's ruin. 

103. "What changes in Othello's opinions, feelings, 
conduct has Shakespeare portrayed in this Act ? 

104. Also, in those of Desdemona ? 

105. Also, in those of Cassio ? 



' OTHELLO. 41 

106. By what different methods has lago enkindled 
Othello's jealousy and rage ? 

107. What is the source of lago's power over 
Othello ? 

Ans. Partly his own keen intellect and diabolic 
craft, and partly Othello's confiding nature. 

ACT IV. 

108. What does Othello mean by hypocrisy against 
the devil? 

109. What reference does Othello make to the 
raven ? 

110. What references are there in other Shake- 
speare pla}^s to the raven ? 

111. How does lago, at this time, attempt to in- 
tensify Othello's jealousy and rage ? 

112. What does Othello mean by, Nature loould 
not invest herself, seq. ? 

113. What primal characteristic of his nature does 
lago reveal when Othello faints ? 

Ans. Absence of emotion. He is unfeeling, piti- 
less. 

114. How does this compare or contrast with the 
same trait in Shylock, in Richard IH. ? 

115. What does Othello mean when he says : A 
horned 'man's a monster, seq. ? 

116. What does lago now do to prove to Othello 
the guilt of Cassio and Desdemona ? 

117. What is unbookish jealousy? 

118. Who brings the handkerchief to lago and 
Cassio ? 



42, HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

119. What does she say ? 

120. What is the dramatic purpose of this inci- 
dent ? 

121. What its effect ? 

122. What is the effect on Othello of the conversa- 
tion between lago and Cassio ? 

123. There is no finer example of pathos in all 
literature than the portrayal of Othello's grief in 
Sc. 1. How does it compare with the pathos of Cor- 
delia's death ? Cf. Lear, V. 3. 

124. By what diabolic remark does lago cause 
Othello's feelings of grief and pity to be transformed 
into one of cruel rage ? 

125. What method of killing Desdemona does lago 
suggest ? 

126. Why does he advise strangling in preference 
to poisoning ? 

127. What message does Lodovico bring to Othello 
from the Duke and Senators of Venice ? 

128. Why does Desdemona express delight at that 
message ? 

129. By what words and deeds does Othello's feel- 
ing toward Desdemona find expression ? 

130. What does Othello say to Lodovico of Des- 
demona ? 

131. What does Lodovico say of the change in 
Othello ? 

132. What is the dramatic purpose of these words ? 
Arts. To emphasize and make more vivid that 

change. 

133. Is it a fair inference from Desdemona 's 
words, If haply you my father do suspect, seq., that 



OTHELLO. 43 

Othello thought that Desdemona, her father, Cassio, 
had conspired to secure his recall ? 

134. What does Ohello say of the nature of his 
grief ? 

135. What charge does he make against Desde- 
mona ? 

136. What effect does that charge have upon her V 

137. What is Emilia's description of the one who 
has devised this slander ngsAnsX Desdemona ? 

138. What is the dramatic purpose of Desdemona's 
appeal to lago to aid her to win her lord again, and 
of her protestation of innocence ? 

Ans. I. To reveal her character in all its loveliness 
and purity. II. To evoke the sympathy of the spec- 
tators of the drama. III. To make more tragic her 
approaching death. 

139. What does Roderigo say of the jewels he had 
given lago ? 

140. What reply does lago make to Eoderigo's 
charge, Every day tliou daffest me icith some device ? 

141. What command does Othello give Desdemona 
at the beginning of Sc. 3 ? 

142. What is the dramatic effect of Desdemona's 
song ? 

143. What other character in Shakespeare, just 
before a tragic death, indulged in singing ? Cf . Ham- 
let, IV. 5. 

144. What inference as to the characters of Des- 
demona and Emilia are we to draw from their con- 
versation as io women who do abuse their husbands? 

145. What is Shakespeare's purpose in introducing 
Lodovico's embassy ? 



44 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEATlEl. 

Ans. It causes Othello, lago, Roderigo to decide 
to act the following night. 

146. What is the principal characteristic of Act 
IV.? 

A71S. Preparation. The main action of the drama 
has not moved. Every preparation, however, has 
been made for the Catastrophe or conclusion of the 
drama. When that begins the main action im- 
mediately resumes movement. 

ACT V. 

147. What reasons does lago give why he wishes 
Cassio and Roderigo to kill each other ? 

148. What confession does Roderigo make after he 
is wounded ? 

149. Is the death of Roderigo in strict accord with 
Poetic Justice ? 

150. What tribute does Othello pay to lago ? 

151. What charge does lago make against Bianca ? 

152. What is his purpose in making, and later 
reiterating, this charge ? 

Ans. To divert suspicion from himself. 

153. What reason does Othello give for the mur- 
der of Desdemona which he is about to perpetrate ? 

154. How does this compare with Brutus's rea- 
sons for the killing of Caesar ? 

155. Also with Macbeth's for the killing of Dun- 
can, Banquo, and his other victims ? 

156. What charge does Othello make against Des- 
demona ? 

157. What does Othello state Cassio has confessed ? 



OTHELLO. 45 

158. What does DesdemoDa say about the cause of 
her death ? 

159. How does Emilia describe lago when she 
•hears of his plot against Desdemona ? 

160. In what respects was Emilia inferior to, in 
what superior to Desdemona ? 

161. What was the first effect on Othello when he 
learns of Desdemona's innocence ? 

163. What does Gratiano say of the effect of Des- 
demona's marriage on her father ? 

163. Why does Shakespeare mention the fact of 
Brabantio's death ? 

Ans. To make manifest the groundlessness of 
Othello's suspicion that his recall to Venice was 
caused partly, or altogether, by Brabantio. 

164. What was the effect on Emilia when she learn- 
ed of the cruel and false charges against Desdemona ? 

165. When Othello is finally convinced of Des- 
demona's faithfulness, what does he say and do ? 

166. Why does he prefer not to kill lago ? 

167. What does Othello say of the purity and honor 
of his motives in everything he had done ? 

168. Is the conclusion of this drama = the deaths 
of the innocent Desdemona and Othello, the contin- 
ued life of the fiendish lago = in accordance Avith 
Poetic Justice? Cf. "Shakespeare as a Dramatic 
Artist," Moulton, pp. 296-299. 

****** 

169. la what respects is Othello's Passion like or 
unlike the jealousy of Leontes, Posthumus, Ford ? 
Cf. "Lectures on Shakespeare," Coleridge, Bohn's 
Edition, pp. 380, 381. 



46 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

170. Wliat is the nature of Othello's Passion ? 

171. Is it Jealousy in the ordinary meaning of that 
word, or is it a feeling generated by a struggle in a 
noble nature between love and honor ? 

173. Is it agony to find the object of his love un- 
worthy ? 

173. What different methods do lago and lachimo 
pursue to create jealousy in their victims ? 

174. In this play Shakespeare portrays the passion 
of jealousy as developed in a wicked man and in a 
frank, good, noble man. Make a comparative study 
of lago and Othello from this point of view. 

175. What is the source of lago's unbounded in- 
fluence over Roderigo, Cassio, Othello ? 

Ans. A powerful will, a keen intellect, a lack of 
all moral considerations. 

176. Lowell ("Old English Dramatists," p. 76) 
says, in lago Shakespeare has embodied "the cor- 
rupt Italian intellect of the Renaissance." What 
were the characteristics of that intellect ? 

Cf. "The Renaissance in Italy." John Adding- 
ton Symonds. "Lecture on Machiavelli. " Morley. 

177. Macaulay ("Essay on Principal Italian 
Writers") says : " Othello is, perhaps, the greatest 
work in the world." Is this opinion well founded ? 

178. How does Othello as a drama compare with 
the Prometheus of ^schylus ; the (Edipus of Sopho- 
cles ; with Lear and Hamlet ? 

179. Some of lago's speeches in this drama are ex- 
cessively coarse. Why did Shakespeare put them in 
his mouth ? 

Ans. I. By contrast to make more evident the 



OTHELLO. 41' 

purity of Desdemona, of whom they were uttered. 
II. To make more apparent and forceful the gran- 
deur and purity of the drama as a wliole, 

180. Shakespeare is a master of Contrast. What 
were some examples of Contrast in this drama — e.g., 
Character-Contrast, Passion-Contrast ? 

181, How does lago's hypocrisy compare with that 
of Moliere's Tartuffe ? 

183. Why has lago never once attempted to de- 
ceive or use Desdemona ? 

183. What were lago's motives, methods, cardinal 
traits of intellect, emotion, morals ? 

184. What were Othello's ? 

185. Has Shakespeare avoided the artistic mistake 
of making lago too diabolic ? Cf. V. 3. 286. 

186. Describe the time-element in this drama. 
Note. — In the Shakespeare plays there is what Fur- 

ness {Hamlet, Yo\. I. p. xv.) calls " two series of times, 
the one suggestive and illusory, the other visible and 
explicitly indicated." Halpin describes them as the 
protractive and the accelerating series ; Christopher 
North as Shakespeare's two clocks. In this play these 
" two series of times" are. Clarke says, " visibly and 
skilfully sustained. Shakespeare had to give the 
brief effect of recent marriage, consequent upon 
the elopement and secret espousals which occur in 
the opening of the play ; and he had also to give 
the lengthened effect of conjugal union, in order to 
add to the tragic impression of broken wedded faith 
and destroyed wedded happiness. To produce the 
former effect, he has made but one night elapse since 
the arrival of the wedded pair in Cyprus and the 



48 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAKE. 

celebration of their nuptials ; to produce the latter 
effect, he throws in occasional touches that indicate a 
longer period"— e.g. III. 3. 292. Cf. Rolfe, Othello, 
Notes, pp. 188-189. 

V. Collateral Reading. 

Lectures on Shakespeare. Coleridge. Bohn's Edi- 
tion, p. 384, seq. 

Dramatic Essays of Charles Lamb. Dodd, Mead 
& Co., p. 163, seq. 

Characters of Shakespeare's Plays. Ilazlitt. Lon- 
don, 1817, p. 54, seq. 

Macaulay, Edinburgh Review, Vol. XLV., p 
272. 

Characteristics of Women. Jameson. Routledge, 
p. 224, seq. 

Shakespeare Papers. Maginn, p. 257, seq. 

Shakespeare, His Mind and Art. Dowden, 
p. 205, seq. 

System of Shakespeare's Dramas. D. J. Snider, 
Vol. II., p. 97, seq. 

Lectures on Dramatic Art and Literature. A. W. 
Schlegel. Trans, by Black, Vol. II., p. 189, seq. 

Shakespeare Commentaries. Gervinus. Trans, by 
F. E. Bunnett, p. 505, seq. 

William Shakespeare. Wendell, p. 278, seq. 

Othello : A Critical Study. W. R. Turnbull. 

Notes on Othello. K. Elze, contained in Englische 
Studieti. Edited by Dr. Eugen Kolbing, Vol. XL, 
p. 217, seq. 

Shakespeare's Heroines. Helen Faucit Lady 
Martin, p. 45, sea. 



OTHELLO. 49 

Shakespeare. His Life, Art and Characters. H. 
N. Hudson. 

The Acting of lago. R. G. White. Atlantic 
Monthly, Vol. XLVIH., p. 203, seq. 

Critical Essays on the Plays of Shakespeare. 
W. W. Lloyd. 

Shakespeare as a Dramatic Artist. R. C Moulton. 

Short Studies of Shakespeare's Plots. Cyril Ran- 
some. 

Studies in Shakespeare. R. G. White. 

Transactions of New Shakespeare Society. These 
contain numerous and valuable references to Othello. 

The Women of Shakespeare. Louis Lewes. 



TWELFTH NIGHT 



TWELFTH NIGHT 

The Source of the Plot. 

In writing this play Shakespeare made use of 
a story by Barnaby Riche, entitled Apolonius 
and Silla. This is an adaptation of an Italian 
novel by Matteo Bandello. 

There were two Italian comedies founded on 
Bandello's story — viz., QVlnganni (The Cheats) 
and OVIngannati (The Deceived). There is some 
resemblance between them and Shakespeare's 
Twelfth NigM. 

Whether Shakespeare was familiar with these 
Italian comedies, or made any use of them in 
writing his play, is questionable. Without any 
doubt, however, he derived some hints for the 
Main Action of the play — viz., the love affairs of 
the Duke and Olivia, from Riche's Apolonins and 
Silla. The Sub-Actions of the play, in which 
Malvolio, Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, Fabian, the 
Clown, and Maria appear, are wholly original 
with Shakespeare. Those characters are his 
creations. 

For a translation of Aioolomus and Silla, 
GVInganni, GVIngannati, cf. Hazlitt's "Shake- 
speare's Library," Part I., Vol. I., pp. 383-413 ; 



54 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Doubleday & McClure Edition of Shakespeare, 
volume containing Twelfth Night ; ' ' New Il- 
lustrations of Shakespeare," Hunter, Vol. I., 
p. 391, seq. 

II. Explanatory Notes. 

There is nothing in Riche's story or in the 
play itself to suggest the title Twelfth Night. 
It was the custom in England, in Shakespeare's 
day, to devote the twelfth night after Christmas 
to sports and revels. There is reason to believe 
that this play was first acted on a twelfth night. 
On that account Shakespeare called it Twelfth 
Night. The second title, What You Will, seems 
to indicate Shakespeare's indifference to the first 
title. "Call it," he may have said, " Twelfth 
Night. If that does not please you, call it What 
You Will." — i.e., anything you choose. 

ACT I. 

Scene 1. 

Music . . food of love. Music is the language of 
the emotions. It appeals not to the intellect, but to 
the heart. Sidney Lanier says: "Music is love in 
search of a word." Viola says. Act II., Sc. 4 : 

" It gives a very echo to the seat 
Where love is throned." 

Cf. Anto7iy and Cleopatra, II. 5. 1, 2. 

" Give me some music ; music, moody food 
Of us that trade in love." 

Fall. Cadence. 



TWELFTH J^TIGHT. 55 

Cf. Pope, Ode on St. Cecilia's Day : 

" The strains decay, 
And melt away 
In a dying, dying fall." 

Like the sweet sound that breathes upon a bank of 
violets, seq. ' ' Like the sweet talk of lovers upon a 
hank of violets, perfuming the air and perfumed by 
it." Schmidt. "Like the low, sweet hum of the 
summer air, as it kisses the coyly shrinking wild 
flowers upon the banks, and passes on loaded with 
fragrance from the sweet salute." White. 

Quick. Cf. //. JIe?iri/ IV., IV. 3. 107. 

There. Refers to the sea. 

Validity. Value. Cf. All's Well, V. 3. 192. 

Pitch. Height. It described the highest point of 
a falcon's flight. Cf. /. Henry VI., II. 4. 11. It 
also describes the position of the sun at midday. 
Sonnet, VII. 9. 

Abatement and low price. These words are used 
as a contrast to validity, pitch. 

Shapes. Anything bodied forth by the imagina- 
tion. 

Fancy. Love. Cf . As You Like It, III. 5. 29. 

" If ever, — as that ever may be near, — 

You meet in some fresh cheek the power of fancy, 
Then shall you know the wounds invisible 
That love's keen arrows make." 

Alone. Pre-eminently ; beyond comparison. 
High-fantastical. Highly imaginative. Possessed 
of imagination in the highest degree. 
The meaning of this whole passage is : as the sea 



5G HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

receiveth and absorbs whatever enters it, so a lover 
absorbs and makes a part of himself the one beloved. 

Will you go hunt F To, before the infinitive, was 
frequently omitted in Elizabethan English. Will 
you go to 7mnt ? would be the present form. Cf. Act 
III., Sc. 3, where the to is again omitted before 
the infinitive. 

"Shall we go see the reliques of this toion?" Cf. 
Abbott. Grammar, § 349. 

The hart. Shakespeare makes a pun on the words 
hart, heart. 

0, when mine eyes, seq. Reference is to the story 
in Greek mythology of Actaeon, a hunter, who hav- 
ing seen Artemis (Diana) bathing, was changed by 
her into a stag and torn in pieces by his own dogs. 

I might not, etc. Might was originally used in the 
sense of was able or could. It here means I could 
not be admitted, or was not able to gain admittance. 

The element. Cf. III. 1. 65. 

Hence. The first folio has heate. Most of the mod- 
ern editions follow it, and have instead of Hence, Heat. 
Meaning is, till the heat of seven years has passed. 

Cloistress. Nun. 

A brother's dead love. Love for a brother who is 
dead. 

That fine frame. Such a fine nature. 

Rich golden shaft. "According to Ovid, Cupid's 
arrow which caused love was sharp pointed and of 
gold ; that which dispelled love was blunt and of 
lead." Wright. Cf. Mid. Nighfs Dream, I. 1. 170. 

" I swear to thee, by Cupid's strongest bow, 
3y bis best arrow with the golden head," 



TWELFTH NIGHT. 57 

Her sioeet 'perfections. Reference is to liver, brain, 
heart, which represent respectively the passions, 
judgments, sentiments. 

One self King. One, and only one, ruler or lord. 

" The filling of the ' sovereign thrones,' with ' one 
self King ' is i\\Q perfection of Olivia's merit." Knight. 
That effect is attained by marriage. To accomplish 
that marriage is the purpose of the Duke. 

Scene 2. 

lllyria . . Elysium. This is one of Shakespeare's 
oft-repeated plays on words. 

Perchance. By chance. The Captain a moment 
later uses the word in this sense, to comfort you with 
chance. 

This poor number. Reference to the few who were 
saved, as was Viola. 

Arion. A Greek poet of Lesbos, 700 B.C., who 
was famous as a player upon the cithara. Accord- 
ing to a legend, while returning from a musical con- 
test in Sicily in which he had been victor, he was 
thrown into the sea by the sailors. He was saved 
and carried to Taenarus by dolphins which had 
gathered about the ship to listen to his lyre. 

Mine oion escaj^e, seq. My escape leads me to hope 
the same for him. This hope has some further basis 
in your speech. 

Bred and born. The usual sequence, born and bred , 
is here reversed. 

Duke. After this tlie Duke is called Count. 

Orsino I I have heard my father name him ; he was 
a bachelor then. 



58 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

This remark of Viola's is an example of fine 
dramatic technique. It is both reminiscent and pre- 
scient. The Duke was not a stranger to Viola, nor 
was she ignorant of the fact that he was a bachelor. 
This statement foreshadows the love affair of Viola 
and the Duke. 

Fresh in murmur. Was a recent rumor. 

WhaVs she? Who is she? "In the Elizabethan 
and earlier periods, when the distinction between 
ranks was much more marked than now, it may 
have seemed natural to ask, as the first question 
about any one, ' Of what condition or rank is he ? ' " 
Abbott, Grammar, § 254. This use of ichat for who 
is frequent in the plays. 

Dear loss. The first folio and most modern edi- 
tions have dear love. 

Mellow. Ripe. Till circumstances arose that made 
it to my interest to reveal my identity and condition. 
On the formation of transitive verbs in the plays, 
cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 290. 

And though that nature, etc. Though men's 
hearts and minds may be different from what their 
exteriors indicate, etc. 

Conceal me ichat I am. This is what in grammar 
is known as "a redundant object." Cf. Abbott, 
Grammar, § 414. 

Allow me. Prove me to be worthy of. 

Wit. Used in the sense of mind. Preserve si- 
lence in accordance with my expressed wish. 

Scene 3. 
A plague. An in terjectional phrase. What in the 



TWELFTH NIGHT. 59 

name of the lilague means my niece ! It must be re- 
membered that Sir Toby is a rollicking, jolly, 
drunken fellow, whose language is more expressive 
than elegant. All he says must be interpreted in 
the light of this fact. 

Your cousin. In Shakespeare's day this meant 
any kinsman or kinswoman. Sir Toby has just 
spoken of Olivia as my niece. 

Except before excepted. A reference to the law 
term exceptis excipiendis, exceptions being made. 
This is, like most of Sir Toby's replies, simply a 
drunken repartee. 

Confine . . finer. A meaningless play upon 
words. 

Any's. Any one who is, etc. 

Viol-de-gamhoys. Italian name for violoncello. It 
was so called because it was held between the legs, 
gamha being Italian for legs. 

Almost natural. Not acquired, but as the gifts of 
nature. Used sarcastically as we speak of a born 
idiot. 

Subtractors. Sir Toby's mistake for detractors. 

Coystrel. Originally a mean fellow, a servant. In 
Shakespeare's day a knave. 

Castiliano nolto. One of Sir Toby's meaningless 
expressions, uttered while he was drunk. 

Accost. To make up to, to address. As Sir Toby 
said it, he doubtless pointed to Maria. 

' ' Bring you r hand to the buttery-har. " "A prover- 
bial phrase among forward Abigails, to ask at once 
for a kiss and a present." Dr. Kenrick. 

It's dry, sir. " She may intend to insinuate that 



60 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

it is not a lover's hand, a moist hand being vulgarly 
accounted a sign of an amorous coustitutiou." John- 
son. Cf. Othello, III. 4. 36-38. 

In this conversation Maria, who is shrewd and 
quick at repartee, dallies with and ridicules the 
stupid Sir Andrew, very much to the discomfiture of 
Sir Andrew, as Sir Toby tells him. 

A cup of canary. Wine from the Canary Islands. 

A great eater of heef, seq. Eating beef was sup- 
posed to make a man coarse and stupid . Cf . I'roilus 
and Cressida, II. 1. 14. 

Tongues, seq. Mr. .;^=euh. Crosby, American 
Bihliopolist, June, 1875, l^j!^^. says: " I was at 
my wits' end to underst" J^'hat effect a knowledge 
of the tongues, or any expertness in the arts, could 
produce in beautifying Sir Andrew's tow head. . . I 
was reluctantly on the point of giving up the conun- 
drum when it dawned upon me that the facetious 
Knight (Sir Toby) had made a pun — a first-class pun, 
too — on the word tongues. . . His imagination had 
seized upon Sir Andrew's tongues, and converted 
them into ^o^z^/s— curling-tongs — the very article re- 
quired in Sir Andrew's toilet to 'mend* his hair 
withal, which, without their assistance, hung ' like 
flax on a distaff,' and most persistently and stub- 
bornly refused to curl by nature." T'ongue in Shake- 
speare's day was pronounced tong. 

Shell 7ione of me. Cf. Merchant of Venice, III. 2. 
103, 103. 

Ihere's life inH. Sir Toby means while there's 
life tliere's hope. 

Kickshaws. " Toy s, trifles. " Schmidt. 



TWELFTH NIGHT. 61 

An old man. Meaning doubtful. 

Possibly Sir Andrew meant a man of experience. 
More likely he had no definite meaning, as, accord- 
ing to his own confession, he was almost witless. 
This whole conversation was, on Sir Toby's part, in- 
tentionally nonsensical. On Sir Andrew's part un- 
intentionally so. 

Mutton. " The pun here shows that the associa- 
tion of capers with boiled mutton is as old as that 
of apple sauce with roast goose, on which Romeo 
quibbles in Romeo and Juliet, II. 4. 85." Rolfe. 

The hack trick. A backward movement or caper 
in dancing. 

Mistress MalVs jiicture. Reference maybe to the 
picture of some notorious wanton of that day. 

It was the custom at that time to put curtains in 
front of pictures. Cf. Act. I., Sc. 5, where Olivia 
says : We loill draw the curtain, seq. 

Oalliard. Coranto. Popular dances. 

Star of a galUard. "A star favorable to danc- 
ing." Wright. 

Flame-coloured stock. Bright-coloured stocking. 

Taurus? thafs sides and hearts. Reference is to 
the astrological figure in almanacs in Shakespeare's 
day. The same can be found in almanacs of the 
present time. Both Sir Toby and Sir Andrew are 
in error. Taurus governed the neck and throat. 
Shakespeare intended they should both be mistaken. 

Scene 4. 

Cesario. Yiola has assumed a man's name as well 
as a man's garb. 



62 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Be not denied access. Valentine, the Duke's first 
messenger to Olivia, was refused access. 

Civil Bounds. Bounds established by decorum. 

Passion, Intensity. 

Thy youth, etc. The Duke means that Olivia will 
listen more attentively to Viola's message than if it 
were delivered by an older and graver messenger. 

Diana. Goddess of the moon, protectress of the 
female sex. 

Rubious. Red, the color of the ruby. 

Pipe. Voice. 

Semhlati'oe. Resembling, and therefore suited to. 

Thy constellation. The constellation under which 
Viola was born. 

Barfal strife. Strife full of impediments. 

Scene 5. 

Lenten. Scanty, unsatisfactory. Like a lenten 
meal. 

Fear no colours. Military metaphor. See Maria's 
explanation. 

Let summer hear it out. Let it be in summer, when 
it would cause little, if any, inconvenience or suffer- 
ing. 

Not so neither. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 406 ; also 
II. 1. 1 ; Measure for Measure, II. 1. 241 ; Merchant 
of Venice, V. 1. 35. 

Gaskins. Loose breeches. 

If Sir Toby would leave drinking, seq. The Clown's 
idea is, you are pretty ; if Sir Toby were not so 
drunken, you and he might make a marriage. It is 
a fine example of foreshadowing. The intimation 



TWELFTH XIGHT. 63 

prepares llie spectator for what actually does take 
place later — viz., tlie marriage of Sir Toby and 
Maria. 

You icere best. On Shakespeare's use of jow and 
thou, cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 231. 

Quinapalus. An imaginary friend of the Clown, 
or, more probably, the Clown himself. 

Dry. Stupid, insipid. 

" His brain, 
Which is as dry as the remainder biscuit 
After a voyage." 

As You Like It, II. 7. 39. 

Cf. also Troilus and Gressida, I. 3. 329. 

DisJwnest. Not chaste. Honest is frequently used 
by Shakespeare to mean virtuous. 

" Are you honest ?" Hamlet, III. 1. 103. 

" I am myself indifferent honest." Idem. 123. 

Madonna. Literally, my lady. 

For give the dry fool drink, seq. Th!s speech of 
the Clown's is meant to be a bantering, witty reply to 
Olivia. Under a surface of nonsense is some sound 
sense. 

Misi^ision. Mistake. 

" There is some strange misprision in the princes." 
Much Ado, etc., IV. 1. 187. 

Cucullus, etc. A cowl does not make a monk — no 
more does motley, the fool's dress, make a fool. 

Mouse of virtue. Term of endearment. Fools had 
the privilege of being frank and familiar with their 
superiors. See Olivia's rebuke to IMalvolio, Act I. 
Sc. 5. 

Doth he not mend ? Improve, grow better. 



64 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Barren. Dull. 

Put down . . with, etc. "With is often used to 
express the juxtaposition of cause and effect." Cf. 
Abbott, Grammar, § 193. 

These set kind of fools. Example of Confusion of 
Proximity ; the pronoun these is in plural because of 
its proximity to plural noun, fools. Cf. Abbott, 
Grammar, § 412. 

Zanies. A sort of subordinate fool. 

Bird-bolts. Short, blunt-headed arrows used witli 
a crossbow. 

An alloicedfool. A licensed fool. 

Mercury endoio thee with leasing, etc. Leasing 
means lying. Mercury was the patron of thieves 
and cheats. White explains passage : " As Olivia 
undertakes the defence of his calling, the Clown 
prays Mercury, the god of liars, to enable her to 
push her defence beyond the bounds of truth." 

Thou hast spoke, seq. " The Clown hints that 
folly ran in Olivia's family, and illustrates this by 
pointing to Sir Toby, who was just entering." 
Wright. 

Pia mater. Brain. 

Orowner. Coroner. "The crowner hath sat on 
her," etc. Hamlet, V. 1. 4. 

Sheriff's post. Post at the door of the sheriff's 
office on which proclamations were affixed. 

Codling. An unripe apple. 

Standing water. Water neither ebbing nor flow- 
ing. Malvolio cannot tell whether or not this 
young man has passed boyhood and is approaching 
manhood. 



TWELFTH NIGHT. 65 

Comptible. Sensitive. Viola's interview with 
Olivia proves this description of herself to be accu- 
rate. 

Are you a comedian ? Are you acting a part ? 

My i^vofound heart. Heart, a term of familiarity. 
Profound, "applied to Olivia in bantering compli- 
ment to her sagacity." Wright. 

Usurp. Counterfeit. Cf. V. 1. 257, "My mas- 
culine ufiurped attire.'" 

From my commission. x\part from my com- 
mission. 

To he feigned. Pretended, counterfeited, dis- 
sembled. 

Alloiced your approach, seq. I allowed you to 
enter not so much to hear you as to wonder at you. 

Some mollification, seq. Maria was small. Viola 
intends to twit her for her small size and inflated 
talk. 

Such a one I was this present. Text is probably 
incorrect. Olivia means I am like this at present. 

'Tis in grain, sir. Reference is to Olivia's beauty, 
whicli will not wash out, because it is not artificial, 
but natural. 

The cruelVst she alive, seq. Cf. Sonnets III., IX., 
XIII. 

Praise. Not to commend, to applaud, but to 
appraise, to value. Hence, Olivia's reference to an 
inventory. 

In voices well divulged. By common report well 
spoken of. 

Have took. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 343. 

Cantons. Cantos. 



66 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Fee'd post. Hired messenger. 

Blazon. " A term of heraldry, denoting the verbal 
description of armorial bearings. Viola had no need 
of a coat-of-arms to proclaim her gentle birth." 
Wright. 

Unless the master were the man. This is an inter- 
jectional remark, the exact meaning of which is not 
known. Olivia evidently wishes the master and the 
man could change places. In that case the master's 
suit might not be in vain. 

Peevish messenger. Olivia did not think Viola 
peevish, silly, wayward. She so describes Viola in 
order to conceal her own feelings toward Viola. 

Mine eye, seq. Olivia is afraid her judgment will 
be led astraj'^ by Viola's attractive appearance. 

Owe, Own. 

ACT II. 
Scene 1. 

Nor will you not. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, § 406. 

No, sooth. No, truly. 

Determinate. Fixed. 

Extravagancy. Vagrancy. "Roaming at large, 
wandering without an object." Wright. 

It charges me, seq. Good taste, good manners, 
make it incumbent in me, under the circumstances, 
to tell you, etc. 

Messaline. This place existed only in the imagi- 
nation of Shakespeare. 

The breach of the sea. The surf which, owing to 
the storm, was dashing, or breaking violently, on the 
shore. 



TWELFTH NIGHT. 67 

With such estimable iconder. " Estimable iconder is 
esteeming wonder, or wonder and esteem. The 
meaning is, tliat he could not venture to think so 
highly as others of his sister." Johnson. 

With more. With salt tears. 

Tour bad entertainment. My hospitality has not 
been as generous ns I should like. 

Your trouble. The trouble I have occasioned you. 

If you loill not murder, seq. If you will not kill 
me, by forsaking me. 

Scene 2. 

A desperate assurance. An assurance which is 
desperate — i.e., without any hope of change. 

She took the ring, seq. Viola left no ring. With 
the intuition of a woman, she divined Olivia's mean- 
ing. What that was she tells us in her soliloquy, 
uttered as soon as Malvolio departed. 

.Her eyes had lost her tongue. She was so occupied 
with looking at me that she could not speak. 

Passion, Love. 

SJie were better. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, §§ 230, 352. 

Proper-false. Hypocrites. Proper exterior, false, 
hypocritical interior. 

Fadge. Succeed. 

Fond. Dote. On Shakespeare's use of substan- 
tives and adjectives as verbs, cf. Abbott, Grammar, 
§290. 

Scene 3. 

Diluculo surgere. An adage from Lilly's Gram- 
mar. The remainder of it is : " saluberrimum est." 
It means to rise earlv is most salubrious. 



6S HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

We three. " Alluding to a common old sign rep- 
resenting two fools, with the inscription We three, 
the spectator being, of course, the third. Such signs 
are still to be seen in England." Rolfe. 

A catch. A part-song, sung b}^ three or more per- 
sons, in which one part follows another. 

Pigrogromitus, seq. Meaningless talk of the addle- 
brained Sir Andrew. 

Impetico's thy gratilUty. The Clown simply fol- 
lows Sir Andrew's example in talking nonsense. 

Testril. Sixpence. 

Song of good life. "A song with a moral in it." 
Wright. 

Sweet and twenty. " Twenty times sweet." Hal- 
liwell. " Sweet kisses and twenty of them, twenty 
being used as a round number." Wright. 

The Main Action of this drama is a love affair. 
It is very appropriate, therefore, that the Clown 
should sing a love-song. 

Draw three souls out of one weaver? "In Much 
Ado, II. 3. 61, 62, Benedick says : ' Is it not strange 
that sheeps' guts should hale souls out of men's 
bodies ? ' And to this power of music Shakespeare 
again refers. . . To draw three souls out of one 
starved weaver can be nothing more than a humor- 
ously exaggerated consequence of the power exerted 
by music." Wright. 

Caterwauling. Noise like the crying of cats. 

Catalan. A Chinese. 

Peg-a- Ramsey. A term of reproach borrowed 
from an old song. 

Tilly -valley. "An exrclamation of contempt at 



TWELFTH l^IGHT. 69 

what has been said." Schmidt. Dame Quickly, in 
//. Henry IV., II. 4. 90, intending to use this word, 
says tilly-fally. 

Coziers'. Cobbler. 

Mitigation or remorse. Without any self-control 
or restraint. 

Snick-up. Simply a contemptuous expression, 
meaning, get out ! 

Round. Blunt, plain-spoken. 

Fareicell, dear heart, seq. This is a song, " Cory- 
don's Farewell to Phillis." 

Cakes and ale, seq. It was the custom at the fes- 
tivals of the English Church to have cakes and ale. 
Malvolio was a Puritan. As such he would disap- 
prove of this custom. 

Saint Anne. Reference to a saint would be very 
objectionable to Malvolio, a Puritan. Hence the 
Clown makes it. 

Your chain. A chain which Malvolio as a steward 
wore. It was a sign of the office of steward. 

Shake your edrs. " Like a helpless ass." Wright. 

Nay-word. By-w'ord. 

Possess, seq. Tell us. 

Weakness. Refers to Malvolio's vanity. 

Expj'essure. Expression. 

Personated. Depicted. 

Penthesilea. Queen of the Amazons. Another 
joke at Maria's small stature. 

Before me. " By my soul." Rolfe. 

Foul way out. I have lost your niece and my 
money both. 

Cut. A docked horse. 



70 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Scene 4. 

Antique. " Old-fashioned, quaint, but not neces- 
sarily fantastic or grotesque." Wright. 

Recollected terms. " Phrases gathered with pains, 
not spontaneous." Wright. " Picked, refined ? or 
trivial ?" Schmidt. 

Favour. Countenance. Used also in As You Like 
It, V. 4. 27. 

By your favour. If you Avill allow me to say so. 

So loears, seq. " Grows fitted to him by use, like 
a garment. " Wright. 

So sways she level. Rules, dominates in a conserva- 
tive and well-balanced manner. 

Worn. •' Worn out, effaced." Wright. 

Cannot hold the hent. Cannot stand the strain of 
every-day life. 

Silly sooth. Simple truth. 

Cypress. " A cypress coffin." Schmidt. 

Changeable taffeta. The Clown describes the 
Duke as a vacillating, inconstant man. 

That miracle, seq. Her beauty. 

They lack retention. " This from the Duke, who 
has lately affirmed that woman's love is firmer and 
more lasting than men's, is but another point in keep- 
ing with his opal-hued mind." Clarke. 

The liver, seq. The liver was supposed to be the 
seat of the emotions. 

Thought. " Often applied to love, as a passion 
bred and nourished in the mind." Schmidt. So 
used here. Cf. Sonnet LXXXVIII. 

And yet I know not. This remark of Viola's is 



TWELFTH XIGHT. 71 

masterly technique on Shakespeare's part. It fore- 
shadows the appearance, hxter, of Sebastian. 

Scene 5. 

Slieep-hiter . Term of contempt. Reference is to 
Malvolio. 

Nettle. Metal. Mason says : " The nettle of In 
diu is the plant that produces what is called cow-itcli, 
. . w^hich torments by its itching quality." Quoted 
by Rolfe. 

The first folio has Mettle. That is preferable. It 
means "par-excellence = gold." Schmidt. 

Come thus near. State, confess. 

Jets. Struts. 

'Slight. Contraction for GocVs light. 

Strachy. Probably a reference to a character in 
some story current in Shakespeare's day, w^hich has 
been lost. 

Jezebel. Sir Andrew, in his ignorance and stupid- 
ity, gives this name of a woman to Malvolio. 

Blows. Inflates, puffs up. 

Stone how. A crossbow for shooting stones. 

Branched velvet gown. " Adorned w^ith needle- 
work representing flowers and twigs." Schmidt. 

Bay-bed. Sofa. 

Hmnour of state. A realizing sonse of my position 
and its authority. 

A demure travel of regard. " Looking gravely 
about." Rolfe. Malvolio's phrases, like himself, 
are stilted and inflated. 

Watch. Watches were worn in England at this 
time. 



72 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAKE. 

By tK ears. With force. 

Contempt of question. Beyond any question or 
shadow of doubt. 

By your leave, wax. Addressing the wax with 
which the letter was sealed, and asking permission 
to break it. 

Lucrece. The head of Lucretia was a favorite de- 
vice on seals. 

Brock. Badger, a term of contempt. 

A Lucrece knife. Probably a knife that could cut 
the impression of Lucrece on the sealing-wax. 

Staniel. The falcon. 

Checks. Turns aside from its proper game to seek 
other. 

Formal capacity. Any one of an average mind. 

Cold scent. On the wrong track. 

Sowter. Cobbler. Botcher. Malvolio is on the 
wrong scent ; hence, is a botcher. 

Faults. Defective scents. 

Ifo CO nso nancy, seq. The subject does not admit 
of this explanation. 

Tang. " To ring, to twang." Schmidt. 

Trick of singularity. Pretend to be eccentric. 

Yellow stockings. Frequently used in Shake- 
speare's day. The custom still survives in the 
dress of the boys of Christ's Hospital School, Lon- 
don. 

Cross-gartered. " Wearing the garters both above 
and below the knee, so as to be crossed at the back 
of the leg. " Wright. 

Daylight and champaign — Daylight and an open 
country do not reveal things more distinctly. 



TWELFTH NIGHT. 73 

Politic authors. Authors who treat of the politics 
of the state. 

Point-devise. Exactly, precisel3^ 

Sophy. Shah of Persia. Cf. III. 4. 307. 

I could marry. By this remark Shakespeare fore- 
shadows the marriage of Sir Tob}^ and Maria. 

Tray-trip. A game something like our backgam- 
mon. It was played with dice. 

Tartar. Tartarus, the infernal regions. 

ACT III. 

Scene 1. 

Tabor. A musical instrument used by the pro- 
fessional clown. 

Cheveril glove. Kid glove. It was very soft and 
flexible. Cf. Henry VIIL, II. 3.32; Borneo and 
Juliet, II. 4. 87. 

Dally nicely. To trifle, to wanton, to play. In 
this conversation with Viola the Clown is dallying 
nicely with words. 

Pilchards. Sardines. 

Expenses. " Drinking money." Schmidt. 

Commodity. Quantity, parcel. Meaning is, when 
Jove sends you more hair, let him send with it a 
beard. 

A pair of these. Reference is to the piece of 
money Viola has given him. He wants another 
piece to make a pair. 

Lord Pandarus, seq. Cf. Troilus and Gressida, 
Act I. 

Welkin. Sky. 



74 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Haggard. Untrained hawk. The Clown must 
make a jest of everything, as the untrained hawk 
attacks every bird. This is an excellent description 
of the Fool in the Shakesperian drama 

List. The end, limit. 

Prevented. Anticipated. 

Pregnant. Alert, quick-witted. 

Vouchsafed. Condescending. 

Lowly feigning. A pretence of humility. 

Music from the spheres. Reference to the Pythago- 
rean doctrine of the harmony of the spheres. Shake- 
speare again refers to it in ^4^ You Like It, II. 7. 6 ; 
Merchant of Venice, Y. 1. 60-65. 

Enchantment. Charm. 

Receiving. Perceiving. 

A Cyprus. "A fine transparent stuff, now called 
crepe." Wright. 

Orise. A degree, a step. 

Vulgar. Common, in the sense of frequently ex- 
perienced. 

Wit and youth is. On plural substantive with 
singular verb, cf. Abbott, Grammar, §§ 333-338. 

Dae west. Toward the setting sun. In other 
words, your mission is a failure. 

Westward-ho ! Cry of the boatmen on the Thames. 

Think you are not, seq. You are mistaken in fall- 
ing in love with me. 

Maugre. In spite of. 

Clause. " Inference, conclusion." Schmidt. 

Scene 2. 
A jot. "The least quantity imaginable." Schmidt. 



TWELFTH XIGHT. 75 

Dormouse. Sleeping. "The animal Myoxusglis, 
which passes winter in sleep." Schmidt. 

Fire-new. Similar to our brand-new. 

Sailed into the North. Out of the sunshine and 
heat ; into the cold and dark. 

A Brow/list. One of a sect of the Puritans founded 
by Robert Brown, about 1581. 

Bed of Ware. A four-post bed, ten feet nine 
inches square, seven and a half feet high ; capable 
of holding twelve persons. Till about ten years 
since was at the Saracen's Head Inn at Ware. 

Goose-pen. Sir Toby means a pen in the hand of 
a goose. 

Cuhiculo. Chamber, lodging, from Lat. cuhiculum. 

Manakin. A little man. 

Youngest loren of nine. The youngest in a brood 
of wrens is generally the smallest. Reference is to 
Maria's diminutive size. 

Passages of grossness. "Gross impositions." 
Wright. 

The new map, etc. Probably a map published in 
1598-1600 to illustrate Ilakluyfs Voyages. 1\\ this 
map are many new details of India, China, Ceylon, 
Japan, etc. 

Scene 3. 

Jealousy. Not suspicion, but apprehension. 

Were my worth, seq. If my ability to repay you 
were equal to my sense of obligation, etc. 

The count his galleys. His was sometimes used, by 
mistake for 's, the sign of the possessive case, par- 
ticularly after a proper name, and with especial 



76 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

frequency when the iianiu ends in s. Cf. Abbott, 
Grammar, § 217. 

Lapsed. Caught. 

Idle markets. " Useless, unprofitable." Schmidt. 
Antonio means Sebastian has not sufficient money 
to buy luxuries. 

Scene 4. 

Bestow of him. Bestow on him. 

Sad and civil. Serious, sober, grave. 

Suits well, seq. Olivia refers to her grief for the 
loss of her father and brother, both of whom have 
died within a twelvemonth. 

Possessed. Under the control or influence of some 
evil spirit. 

If sad and merry madness, seq. Mai volio is happy 
in his delusion ; Olivia is sad. 

Please one, seq. An old ballad. 

Midsu7nmer madness. The heat of summer was 
supposed to cause madness. Cf. Much Ado, etc., 
I. 1. 94. 

" Leon. You will never run mad, niece. 
Beat. No, not till a hot January." 

Jove, seq. It is probable Shakespeare wrote Qod. 
This was changed, so as to avoid violating the stat- 
ute against The abuses of players, etc. 

Bawcock . . chuck. Terms of good-natured fa- 
miliarity. 

Ay, Biddy, seq. This is probably a song. Later 
Sir Toby refers to a game in which cherry-stones 
were thrown into a pit. 

Collier. The devil is compared to a collier because 
the face of the latter is black with dirt. 



TWELFTH KIGHT. 77 

Genius. " A good or evil spirit supposed to di- 
rect the actions of man." Schmidt. Sir Toby means 
the device or trick has taken complete possession of 
Malvolio. 

Dark room, seq. This was the treatment to which 
the insane were subjected in England in Shake- 
speare's day. 

Bring device, seq. Bring the whole affair to judg- 
ment. 

A May morning. The season of the year particu- 
larly devoted to sport and pastime. 

Liest in thy throat. A more deliberate and wilful 
lie than " thou liest in thy teeth." 

Windy side. Safe side. 

Commerce. Communication, business. 

Bwn-bailie. An inferior sheriff's officer. 

Unchary. Liberally, unsparingly. Olivia means 
she has expressed her feelings to Viola too frankly. 

Dismount thy trick. Draw thy sword. 

Be yarc. Be quick and nimble. 

Quarrel to me. With me. 

Unhatched. " Unbacked, not blunted by blows." 
Schmidt. 

On carpet consideration. Carpet knights were 
those who were made knights at home in time of 
peace. Wright says : "In employing the term con- 
sideration, Sir Toby implies that Sir Andrew's honors 
had been purchased." 

Hob, nob. A phrase expressing recklessness, like 
" come what may. ' ' 

Conduct. Escort, 

Quirk. Whim, caprice. 



78 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Mrago. Sir Toby means mrago. 

Pox on' t. A curse. 

If you offend Mm. If you have offended hira, etc. 

Undertaker. If you act as his agent. 

He will hear you easily, and reins well. Sir Andrew 
refers to his horse grey Gapilet, which he told Sir 
Toby he would give Viola, if Viola would let him 
withdraw the challenge. 

No jot. Not in the least. 

Lean and low ability. Out of my scanty sum. 

Bone good feature shame. Your beautiful exterior 
belies your mean and ungrateful heart. 

Yet living in my glass. Reflected in my likeness. 
Viola means, Antonio mistakes me for my brother. 
From this fact I infer, and hope, my brother still 
lives. 

Salt waves, seq. Reference Is to the kindness of 
the sea in not swallowing up both Viola and Sebas- 
tian. 

'8Ud. By God's lid. 

ACT IV. 
Scene i. 

Well held out. The Clown mistakes Sebastian for 
Viola, and supposes he is simply acting a part. He 
commends him for doing it well. 

This great lubber, seq. " That is, affectation and 
foppery will overspread the world." Johnson. 

Greek. Jester, Merry-maker. ' ' The Greeks were 
proverbially spoken of by the Romans as fond of 
good living and free potations." Nares. 



TWELFTH NIGHT. 79 

fourteen years, seq. "That is, at fourteen times 
the annual rent." Wright. Equivalent to a high 
price. 

Well fleshed. Eager to fight, like an animal fed on 
flesh. 

Rudeshy. Rough fellow. 

Extent. Assault. Word is derived from a legal 
term signifying seizure of goods. 

What relish, seq. What am I to think ? 

Scene 3. 

Competitors. Confederates. 

Bonos dies, seq. The Clown's remarks are, and are 
intended to be, nonsensical. The same is true of 
those made to Malvolio in the interview following. 

Pythagoras. Reference is to his doctrine of me- 
tempsychosis. Cf. Merchant of Venice, IV. 3. 54 ; 
As You Like It, III. 2. 187. 

I am for all waters. Can adapt myself to any 
work, as a fish can swim in all waters. 

Perdy. By God — par Dieu. 

Five wits. " Powers of the mind, corresponding 
in number to the five senses." Wright. 

Propertied. Treated me as if I was a piece of 
property. 

Note the Clown sometimes speaks as himself, 
sometimes as Sir Topas. 

Slient. Reprimanded. 

The old vice. The fool of the miracle plays. He 
appeared in the company of the devil. 
Scene 3. 

Credit. Belief, opinion. 



80 now TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Trust. Use. I in the same sense as credit. 

Discourse. Reasoning. 

Take and give back affairs. ' ' Take a business in 
hand and discharge it." "Wright. 

Whiles. Until. 

According to my birth. A celebration such as be- 
fits one of my birth and position. 

ACT V. 

Scene 1. 

Conclusions to he as kisses. " In the Clown's argu- 
ment, the affirmative conclusion follows the negative 
premisses, as kisses follow upon refusal. " Wright. 

Double-dealing. A play upon words. I would 
ask you to repeat the gift but that it icouldbe double- 
dealing. 

Tour grace. Your virtue. 

At this throw. By this trick. Reference is '^o 
throwing dice. 

BawbUng. Insignifisant, small, like a bauble. 

TTnprizable. Of little value — i.e., it was a small 
vessel. Wright explains it as "invaluable, inesti- 
mable. ' ' Abbott interprets it as " not able to be made 
a prize of." I reject these latter meanings. The 
Duke is contrasting the small vessel of Antonio with 
the largest vessel in his own fleet. 

Scathful. Harmful, destructive. 

Fraught. Freight. 

Candy. Crete. 

Drew, seq. Drew his sword, etc. 

Dear. Such that will cost you dearly. 



TWELFTH KIGHT. 81 

Dedication. Devotedness. 

Pure for his love. Solely, purely out of my love 
to him. 

But that he may not, seq. Olivia refers to her 
heart. 

Fat and fulsome. Distasteful. 

Like . . Egyptian thief. Reference is to the story 
of Theagenes and Ciiariclea in the Ethiopica of 
Heliodorus. Thyamis, an Egyptian pirate, seized 
Chariclea and placed her in a cave. He fell in love 
with her. When attacked and overpowered by 
other pirates, he rushed into the cave and attempted 
to kill her. In the darkness he slew another person. 

To do you rest. To give you relief from Olivia's 
hard-heartedness. 

Grizzle on thy case. A tinge of gray on thy body. 
Case was technically the skin of an animal. 

Trip. Be caught in your own trap, etc. 

Hold little faith. Have a little faith, confidence. 

Incarnidate. Incarnate. 

Coxcomb. Head, 

Othergates. Otherwise. 

Set. Fixed — i.e., closed. 

A passy -measures pavin. A drunken and mean- 
ingless reference to a well-known dance. 

Wit and safety. A wise regard to my own safety. 

A strange regard. A surprised look. 

Perspective. Reflection, as from a glass. 

TJiat deity, seq. Omnipresence. 

Masculine usurped attire. My dress, which is that 
of a man. 

Jump. Agree. 



82 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Weeds. Garments. 

Nature to her Mas, seq. Nature, in accordance 
with her usual method, did right, made no mistake. 

Wrack. Shipwreclv. Referring to tlie shipwreck 
winch cast both Viola and Sebastian on the shores of 
Illyria. 

Orbed coiitinent. Either the sun or the firmament. 

Most extracting frenzy, seq. Olivia refers to her 
love affair, whicli had been to her distracting. 

Perpend. Consider. 

Notorious. " Notable, Egregious." Schmidt. 

Write from it. Write differently from it. 

The modesty of honour. With the reserve and pro- 
priety of honour. 

Oeck and gull. Simpleton, dupe. 

Presupposed. Suggested to you as being such as 
would favour your suit. 

Importance. Urging. 

Convents. Is convenient. Wright rejects this 
meaning for "convenes, summons." 

Of the Clown's song Knight remarks : " We hold 
the Clown's epilogue song to be the most philosophi- 
cal Clown's song on record. . . It is the history of a 
life, from the condition of a little tiny hoy, through 
man's estate, to decaying age — when I came into my 
bed ; and the conclusion is, that what is true of the 
individual is true of the species, and what was of 
yesterday was of generations long past away — for 

A great while ago the world begun. 



TWELFTH NIGHT. 83 



III. Table of Acts and Scenes in which each 

character appears. Also, number of lines 
spoken by each character. 

No of 
Lines. 

398 Sir Toby, I, 3, 5 ; If, 3, 5 ; III, 1, 2, 4 ; IV, 1,2; V, 1. 

344 Clown, f, 5 ; II. 3, 4 ; III. 1 ; IV. 1, 2 ; V, 1. 

306 Malvolio, I, 5 ; II, 2, 3. 5 ; HI, 4 ; IV, 2 ; V, i. 

221 Duke, I, 1,4; II, 4 ; V, 1. 

183 Sir Andrew. I, 3 ; II, 3. '^ ; III, 1, 2. 4 ; IV, 1 ; V, 1. 

128 Sebastian, II, 1 ; HI, 3 ; I V, 1, 3 ; V, 1. 

128 Fabian, II, 5; 111,2,4; V, 1. 

107 Antonio, II, 1 ; III, 3, 4; V, 1. 

32 Captain, I, 2. 

14 Valentine, I, 1, 4. 

12 1st Officer, 111,4; V, 1. 

8 Priest, V, 1. 

7 Curio, I, 1 ; II, 4. 

4 Servant, III, 4. 

4 2d Officer, III, 4. 

353 Viola, I, 2, 4, 5 : II, 2. 4 ; HI, 1. 4 ; V, 1. 
321 Olivia, I, 5 ; III. 1,4; I V, 1, 3 ; V, 1. 
169 Maria, I, 3, 5 ; II, 3, 5 ; HI, 2, 4 ; IV, 2. 

IV. Questions. 

ACT I. 

1. What is the origin of the title of this play ? 

2. What dramatic purpose does Shakespeare effect 
in the opening lines of this play ? 

Ans. He touches the emotional chord — viz., love, 
that vibrates through the play. 

3. AVhat is the meaning of the phrases, Music . . 
the food of love, sioeet sound that breathes, so full of 
shapes is fantasy f 

4. What is the pun on hart ? 

5. What is the meaning of element itself, rich gold- 
en shaft f 

6. What information is given us in Sc. 1 of the 
Duke ? What of Olivia ? 



84 HOW TO STUDY SIIAKESPEAliE. 

7. Is Shakespeare's Illyria a geographical or an 
imaginative place ? 

8. What information is given in Sc. 2 of Viola's 
brother ? 

9. What is the dramatic purpose of this ? 

Ans. To foreshadow his appearance later in the 
play. 

10. Why does Viola tell us she knew Orsino was a 
bachelor ? 

Ans. To reveal one cause of her interest in him, 
and to foreshadow her love for him. 

11. What does the Captain say of the Duke's woo- 
ing of Olivia ? 

12. What description does he give of Olivia ? 

13. What does Viola decide to do ? 

14. What revelation of himself does Sir Toby 
make at his entrance on the stage ? 

15. What does he say of Olivia ? 

16. What descriptions do Sir Toby and Maria give 
of Sir Andrew Aguecheek ? 

17. Are those descriptions accurate as judged by 
Sir Andrew's conduct and words when he appears ? 

18. In what dress, what capacity does Viola ap- 
pear in Sc. 4 ? 

19. What does the Duke say to her, what of 
her? 

20. What is the dramatic function of Viola's last 
words in Sc. 4, TU do my best, seq. ? 

Ans. In them Shakespeare foreshadows the Main 
Action of the drama. 

21. What is the meaning of fear no colours, a good 
lenten ansicer ? 



TWELFTH NIGHT. 85 

22. What does the Clown mean, if Sir Toby would 
leave drinking, seq. ? 

23. What does this remark foreshadow ? 
Ans. The marriage of Sir Toby and Maria. 

24. What does the Clown, in a soliloquy, say of 
wit? 

25. What is the meaning of misprision, cucullus 
nonfacit, seq ? 

26. Underneath the Clown's bantering conversa- 
tion with Olivia is some sound, logical reasoning. 
What does he prove by that ? 

27. What is Olivia's description of Malvolio ? 

28. What does Olivia say of the Duke's suit ? 

29. What is Sir Toby's condition when he first 
appears before Olivia ? 

30. What is the Clown's answer to Olivia's ques- 
tion, rchat's a drunken man like ? 

31. What is Malvolio 's description of Viola ? 

82. What does Viola mean, / am very comptihle? 

33. What does Olivia mean, Are you a comedian ? 

34. What is Maria's metaphor, Will you hoist sail, 
seq. ? 

35. What does Olivia mean, 'Tis in grain, sir? 

36. What description of Olivia does Viola give to 
her ? 

37. What description of the Duke does Olivia give ? 

38. What does Viola say to Olivia of the Duke's 
love for her ? 

39. What does Viola say she would do if she loved 
so ? 

40. What does Viola say when Olivia offers her 
money ? 



86 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

41. AVhat is the dramatic function of Olivia's 
soliloquies at the end of Sc. 5 ? 

A?is. I. To reveal her new-born love for Viola. 
II. To foreshadow Viola's discovery of that love in 
II. 2. 

42. Whj'- did Olivia send the ring to Viola ? 

43. What has Shakespeare accomplished in Act I. ? 
Ans. I. He has introduced in person, and revealed 

to us their salient traits, all Ihe principal characters 
in the play except Sebastian. He introduces him 
by a reference to him in Sc. 2. II. He has given all 
necessary information of the cause of the action — 
viz., the love of the Duke for Olivia, and his efforts 
to woo her. III. He has foreshadowed the Main 
Action of the drama in Viola's words : Til do my 
best to woo your lady. Aside. Yet, a harful strife, 
seq. 

ACT IT. 

44. "What information of himself and of his sister 
does Sebastian give ? 

45. What is the dramatic purport of his remark, 
she mucfi resembled me f 

Ans. To foreshadow the mistaken identity of the 
one for the other. 

46. What request does Antonio make of Sebas- 
tian ? 

47. Why does Shakespeare make Antonio say to 
Sebastian, I do adore thee so? 

Ans. To touch again the emotional chord that 
vibrates through the drama. 

48. What is the nature of Sc 1 ? 



TWELFTH KIGHT. 87 

Ans. Episodic. During it tlie action of the drama 
has temporarily ceased movement. 

49. What is the connection between I. 5 and II. 
2? 

50. What does Viola in her soliloquy in Sc. 2 tell 
us of Olivia's passion ? 

51. What description does Viola give of the com- 
plication of the plot ? 

Ans. How will thisfadge, seq. 

52. Shakespeare here compares the plot of a drama 
to a knot. What did Aristotle say on this subject ? 

Ans. He said a drama is like ty\ug and untying a 
knot. In the Climax the knot is perfectly tied. All 
previous to the Climax is the Desis, or tying ; all fol- 
lowing is the Lusis, or untying. 

53. What is the nature of Sc. 3 ? 
Ans. It is a Sub-Action. 

54. To what does the Clown allude, tJie picture of 
loe three ? 

55. What is a catch ? 

56. What is the nature of the song the Clown 
sings ? 

57. Why does Shakespeare make it a love song ? 

58. What does Maria say is the result of Viola's 
visit to Olivia ? 

59. What is Maria's description of Malvolio ? 

60. Is this a correct analysis of Malvolio's char- 
acter ? 

61. What is Maria's plot to gull Malvolio ? 

62. What does Sir Toby say of Maria's feeling for 
him ? 

63. What does her statement foreshadow ? 



88 KOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

64. What does Sir Andrew say to Sir Toby of Lis 
effort to recover your niece ? 

65. What advice does Sir Toby give to him ? 

66. What is the nature and what the function of 
So. 3? 

Ans. It is a comic Sub- Action. It is intended to 
be a contrast to the Main Action, which is serious, 
and which forms the subject of Scs. 2 and 4. 

67. What does the Duke and what does Viola say 
of the effect of the old and antique song wa heard last 
night ? 

68. Wliat is the Duke's description of all true 
lovers ? 

69. What is the Duke's advice as to men marrying 
women younger than themselves ? 

70. Is it likely that Shakespeare in this referred to 
his own experience ? 

Ans. No. A great drama, like every other work 
of art, is objective. To the degree that it is subjec- 
tive is it defective. Shakespeare's plays, therefore, 
are impersonal. 

71. What is the Clown's description of the 
Duke? 

72. Why does the Clown describe the Duke as 
deficient in constancy ? 

Ans. He tired so soon of the song. Cf . also I. 1. 
7, seq. 

73. Is this in harmony with the Duke's descrip- 
tion, directly afterward, of the nature of his passion 
for Olivia ? 

74. Also with the sudden transference, at the last, 
pf his love from Olivia to Viola ? 



TWELFTH NIGHT. 89 

75. What does Viola say of love, and of her love 
for a man ? 

76. Is her conduct toward the Duke (V. 1. 135- 
136) in accord therewith ? 

77. Wliat is the dramatic purpose of Viola's re- 
mark, All the brothers, too ; and yet I know not? 

Ans. To foreshadow the appearance later of that 
brother. 

78. Has Viola previously informed us that she 
was in love, and that the object of that love was the 
Duke ? 

Ans. I. 4. 40-42. 

79. What is the nature of Sc. 4 ? 
Ans. Episodic. 

80. What does Sir Toby mean by his description 
of Maria as nettle or 7netal of India? 

81. What is the meaning of sowter? 

82. What is the nature of Mai vol io as judged bj- 
his conduct in Sc. 5 ? 

83. How does that compare with Olivia's and 
]\raria's descriptions of him ? 

84. What is the significance of Sir Toby's remark, 
I could marry this tcenchfor this device ? 

Ans. It foreshadows the marriage of Sir Toby and 
Maria. 

85. What was tray -trip. 

86. What does Maria say of the fruits of the spcrt 
resulting from this trick on Malvolio ? 

ACT III. 

87. What does the Clown mean, a sentence is but a 
cheveril glove, seq. ? 



90 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

88. Is this descriptive of his own play upon words ? 

89. What is the dramatic purpose of Viola's reply 
to the Clown, I am almost sick for a beard ? 

90. What is Viola's description of the nature and 
function of the Fool in a Shakespeare play ? 

91. Was Olivia unmaidenly in declaring, so plain- 
ly, to Viola her love ? 

Ans. Olivia was a countess, Viola a page. The 
difference in the rank gives some justification for 
what would otherwise be unseemly. 

93. When Viola rejects Olivia's advances, what 
reaction takes place in Olivia's feelings ? 

93. What does Viola mean by her opinion of 
Olivia ? 

94. What is tlie significance of Viola's statement, 
I am not what I am? 

95. What does Olivia say about love sought ; un- 
sought ? 

96. What does Viola say in response to Olivia's 
declaration of love ? 

97. What determination does she announce ? 

98. What is the feigned and Avhat the real reason 
that Olivia gives to Viola to induce her to come 
again ? 

99. I^\i2ii {^ dormouse valour ? 

100. What metaphors does Fabian use in his re- 
marks to Sir Andrew at the beginning of Sc. 2 ? 

101. What is a Brownist ? 

103. Why does Sir Andrew challenge the Count's 
youth ? 

103. What does Sir Toby say is the best love-hroker 
in the world f 



TWELFTH KIGHT. 91 

104. What is the humorous irony in Sir Toby's 
description of the challenge ? 

105. What does Sir Toby mean, dear to Mm, lad, 
some two thousand strong ? 

106. What does Maria say is the effect of the letter 
on Malvolio ? 

107. Of what scene is III, 3, the continuation ? 

108. AVhat reason does Antonio give for having 
followed Sebastian ? 

109. Why is it Antonio cannot witlioiit danger walk 
these streets f 

110. What does he give Sebastian, and why does 
he give it ? 

111. What is the dramatic function of Sc. 3 ? 
Ans. I. It is episodic. II. It foreshadows the 

appearance, with all its attendant complications, of 
Antonio in Sc. 4. 

112. For whom has Olivia sent ? 

118. What does Olivia say of Malvolio, of his 
suitableness to be her servant, of her likeness to 
him ? 

114. What is the dramatic purpose of this informa- 
tion ? 

Ans. I. To describe Malvolio's condition. II. To 
describe Olivia's. 

115. What disposition does Olivia make of Mal- 
volio ? 

116. What does Malvolio mean by it is Jove's do- 
ing ? 

117. What does Sir Toby suggest shall be done 
with Malvolio ? 

118. Why does Shakespeare make the heroine of 



92 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

this drama the butt of oue of Sir Toby's and Fa- 
bian's jokes ? 

Ans. Tliis drama is full of comic situations. It 
is entirely proper that even the heroine should be 
placed in one. 

119. What are some of those comic situations ? 

130. What is the dramatic function of the duel ? 

Alls. I. To bring to a Climax the Complication of 
the drama by involving in a quarrel Viola, Sir An- 
drew, Antonio. II. To foreshadow the Resolution 
of the drama by Antonio's mistake in supposing 
Viola to be Sebastian. 

121. What does Viola, in a soliloquy, say which 
unmistakably foreshadows the Resolution of the 
drama ? 

A71S. Metldnks his icords do from such 'passion jly , 
seq. 

ACT IV. 

122. How is mistaken identity still further em- 
phasized in Sc. 1 ? 

Atis. Every character in it mistakes Sebastian for 
Viola. 

123. Why does Sebastian describe the Clown as 
foolish Greek? 

124. What dramatic purpose is effected by Olivia's 
protestations of love to Sebastian, and Sebastian's 
favorable response thereto ? 

Ans. It is the iirst step in the Resolution — i.e., the 
resolving of the complication of the drama. 

125. What beliefs current in Shakespeare's day 
does he travesty in Sc. 2 ? 



TWELFTH Js^IGHT. 93 

A71S. The belief that insanity was a demoniacal 
possession and could be cured by prayers and priests. 

126. What does Sebastian say in Sc. B of his ex- 
periences, and his thoughts and feelings about them ? 

127. Why does Shakespeare make Sebastian in- 
sist that neither he nor Olivia is insane ? 

Ans. The action of a drama must be carried for- 
ward by persons who are sane, who are governed by 
reason, intelligence. No drama could be written all 
the actors in which were idiots or lunatics. A char- 
acter may in the course of the action, from excessive 
grief or anxiety, become deranged — e.g., Lear. Or 
for a shrewd purpose might assume madness — e.g., 
Hamlet. Such cases do not, however, invalidate the 
above dictum. 

128. What action do Olivia and Sebastian take ? 

129. AVhat is the effect of this on the action of the 
drama ? 

Ans. It aids very materially in the resolution. 

ACT V. 

130. What function, in addition to that of creating 
humor, does the Clown fulfil ? 

Ans. He is a Link-Person. He is constantly going 
between the Duke and his friends, on the one hand, 
and Olivia and her friends, on the other. The Duke 
sends him on such a mission in Sc. 1 of this Act. 

131. What do the Duke, 1st officer, and Viola say 
of Antonio ? 

132. What does Antonio say of Viola's ingrati- 
tude ? 



94 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

133. What does Olivia say of Viola ? 

134. What does the Priest say of their betrothal ? 

135. What is the effect of this ou the Duke ? 

136. What further amazement, bewilderment is 
created by the entrance of Sir Andrew and Sir Toby, 
and their mistake in supposing Viola to be Sebastian ? 

137. How is the dramatic knot finally untied, the 
Resolution finally completed ? 

Ans. By the appearance of Sebastian. 

138. Is this the first time, and if so, why, that 
Viola and Sebastian have appeared at the same time ? 

139. How does Malvolio end his dramatic life ? 

140. What description of the outcome of the trick 
on Malvolio, which is equally descriptive of the out- 
come of the drama, does the Clown give ? 

Ans. The loliirligig of time brings in Ms revenges. 

141. Is the outcome of the drama in perfect har- 
mony with the plot as described by Viola at the end 
of I. 2 ? 

143. What purposes does the Clown's song effect ? 

Ans. I. Dramatically, it complements the music 
with which the play begins. II. ^Esthetically, it 
describes in verses which are beautiful and philo- 
sophic the phase of human life of which this play is a 
transcript. 

****** 

143. What part do Antonio and Sebastian play in 
working out the plot ? 

144. Which is the more correct description of 
woman's love in II. 4, that of the Duke or that of 
Viola ? 

145. In what respects are Viola and Olivia alike, 



TWELFTH NIGHT. 95 

and what unlike, in their Experiences, Social Posi- 
tions, Appearance, Emotions, Methods of Making 
Love, Intellects ? 

146. What are the special characteristics of Maria ? 

147. Why does Shakespeare almost always bring 
Sir Toby and Sir Andrew on the stage together ? 

Ans. They are meant to be Character-Contrasts. 
Each evokes and makes vivid the special traits of the 
other. 

148. What are some of the metaphors, similes, 
imagery used in this play ? 

149. In this play are five songs. What was Shake- 
speare's intent in introducing them ? What was 
their dramatic function ? 

150. Where in this play does Shakespeare change 
the diction from blank verse to prose ? Where the 
reverse ? Why does he make these changes ? 

151. What are some of the puns in this play ? 

152. What was the nature, what the dramatic 
function of the Clown in the Shakespearian drama ? 

153. Compare the Clown in this play with Touch- 
stone, in As You Like It ; Antolycus, in 'Winter's 
Tale ; the Fool, in Lear. 

154. An important element in the plot of Tioelfth 
Night is confusion of identity, Viola being mistaken 
for Sebastian, and vice versa. Shakespeare uses the 
same device in Tlie Comedy of Errors. Compare the 
two plays from this point of view. 

155. Shakespeare frequently makes his heroines 
discard their skirts for male apparel. Describe his 
technique in this particular as manifested by Viola, 
in this play ; by Portia, Nerissa, Jessica, in The 



96 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE, 

Merchant of Venice ; by Rosalind, in As You Like It ; 
by Julia, in Two Gentlemen of Verona ; by Imogen, 
in Cymbeline. 

156. In this play Shakespeare makes references to 
the Puritans. Describe the conflict between the 
Puritans and the actors. 

V. Collateral Reading. 

William Shakespeare, Barrett Wendell, p. 205, seq. 

Shakespeare Manual, F. G. Fleay, chap. viii. 

Characters in Shakespeare's Plays, Hazlitt, p. 255, 
seq. 

Shakespeare Characters. Charles Cowden-Clarke, 
p. 195, seq. 

Lectures on Shakespeare, Hudson, Vol. I., p. 193, 
seq. ; also, p. 246, seq. 

Characteristics of Women, Jameson, Edition of 
Routledge, p. 168, seq. 

The Illustrated Shakespeare, Verplauck, Vol. II., 
p. 6, seq. 

The Leopold Shakespeare, Furnivall, p. lix., seq. 

Shakespeare Commentaries, Gervinus, translated 
by F. E. Bunnett, p. 423, seq. 

Mad Folk of Shakespeare, Bucknill, p. 314, seq. 

New Illustrations of Shakespeare, Hunter, Vol. 
I., p. 865, seq. 

Shakespeare's Word-Play and Puns, Thomas R. 
F rice, Shakespeariana, Vol. VI., No. LXV., pp. 221- 
227 ; No. LXVIL, pp. 292-297. 

Shakespeare's Puns, Joseph Crosby, American Bih- 
liopolist, June, 1875, p. 143, seq. 

For a critical study of Shakespeare's references 



TWELFTH NIGHT. 97 

to the Puritans, and a history of the Puritan attack 
on the theatre, vide my Introduction to Much Ado 
About Nothing, Bankside Edition, Vol. VI. 

For a critical analysis of the character of Malvolio, 
m^6 Charles Lamb's Essay " On Some of the Old 
Actors." 



JULIUS C^SAR 



JULIUS C^SAR 

I. The Source of the Plot. 

The material which Shakespeare used in the 
composition of this play is taken wholly from 
Plutarch's Lives of Julius Csesar, Brutus, An- 
tony, Octavius Caesar, Nearly every fact men- 
tioned, in many cases even the very words and 
phrases, were borrowed by Shakespeare from 
Plutarch. To these facts Shakespeare has add- 
ed a subtle, indefinable ideality. By his vivi- 
fying imagination he resurrects these men. 

" . . graves at his command 
Have waked their sleepers, op'd, and let 'em 

forth 
By his so potent art." 

— Tempest, V. 1. 48, seq. 

He re-creates them and reveals to us the 
thoughts, emotions, intentions ; the conflict be- 
tween " blood and judgment ;" the subtle inter- 
flow of good and evil ; in a word, all those power- 
ful, though silent and invisible forces, which 
constituted the springs of action in each of 
these men. The total result of his work is a 
historical drama which is one of the glories not 
only of English, but of all literature. 



102 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAKE. 

The best edition of Plutarch's Lives of Julius 
Caesar, Brutus, Antony, Octavius Caesar, is 
found in " Shakespeare's Plutarch," chaps, ii., 
iii., iv., v., edited by Mr. W. W. Skeat. The 
editorial work on this book is scholarly and ex- 
haustive. 

A reprint of Plutarch's Lives of Julius 
Caesar and Brutus can also be found in Haz- 
litt's " Shakespeare's Library," Part L, Vol. III., 
pp. 171-253 ; that of Antony in the same vol- 
ume, pp. 315-418. 

II. Explanatory Notes. 

ACT I. 

Scene 1. 

Tribunes. Officers or magistrates chosen by the 
people to protect them from the oppression of the 
patricians or nobles. Also to defend their liberties 
against attempts by the senate or the consuls. At 
first there were but two ; later there were ten. 
There were also military tribunes. Reference here 
is only to civil tribunes. 

Mechanical. Sometimes used by Shakespeare as a 
noun. 

" A crew of patches, rude mechanicals 
That work for bread upon Athenian stalls." 
M. N. B., III., 2. 9. 

Here, in Julius Caesar, mechanical is used as an ad- 
jective, same as mechanic. 



JULIUS CESAR. 103 

Ought not walk. To omitted. This is frequent in 
Elizabethan English. 

In respect of. As to the kind of fine workman I 
am. etc. 

Cobbler. Not only shoemaker, but clumsy work- 
man at any trade. 

Art thou? Thou is form used alwaj^s by master 
addressing servant, except when master is finding 
fault, then he uses you ironically. 

Answer me directly. Answer me without ambigu- 
ity or circumlocution. 

Knave. Not a rascal, but a menial. Roderigo 
told Brabantio that Desdemona had eloped with " a 
knave of common hire, a gondolier." 0th., I. 1. 126. 
It is sometimes also used to describe a boy. Brutus 
addresses Lucius (Act IV., Sc. 3) as "poor knave," 
" gentle knave." 

But with awl. Pun on the word withal — ''but 
icithal I am a surgeon to old shoes." 

Neafs leather. Neat, horned cattle, the steer, the 
heifer, etc. 

His triumph. Caesar's fifth and last triumph, in 
honor of his victory at Munda, Spain, March 17, 
B.C. 45. For a description of this battle vide Froude's 
" Caesar," p. 480. 

Replication. Reverberation, echo. 

Cull out. Pick out, select. 

Whe'r. Whether. 

Metal. Mettle. In Elizabethan English these words 
were synonymous. They mean constitutional dis- 
position, character, temperament. 

Ceremo7iies. Anything or any observance held 



10-4 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

sacred. Refers here to the festal oruaments hung on 
Caesar's images. 

Feast of Lupercal. Originally a feast for the puri- 
fication of the Palatine city, during which human 
victims, after having been conducted around the 
walls, were sacrificed in the Lupercal cave near 
Porta Romana. Later, dogs and goats were sub- 
stituted for human victims. The celebrants ran 
around the old line of Palatine walls, striking whom 
they met with thongs from slaughtered animals. 
Their touch was supposed to make barren women 
prolific. 

Trophies. Signs or tokens of victory. 

These growing feathers. Note change from a di- 
rect statement of facts to a metaphor. 

Scene 2. 

Course. Race. The race that was run at the feast 
of Lupercalia. 

Soothsayer. A prophet ; one who foretells. 

Ceremony. External form ; outward rite. " Ccesar 
shall have all true rites and lawful ceremonies." 
III. 1. 240. 

Ides. The 15th of March, May, July, October. 
The 13th of the other months. 

A dreamer. A visionary ; a fantastic. 

Too stubborn and too strange a hand. Violent, ca- 
pricious. 

Proper to myself. Peculiar to myself. 

Qiw some soil. Some basis, some groundwork. 

Jealous on me. Of me. This form is frequently 
used by Shakespeare. 



JULIUS C^SAR. 105 

To stale. To make common, insipid, of little 
worth. 

After scandal. Afterwards. This form of a/^6?' is 
obsolete. 

To all the rout. The mass, the multitude. Note 
Cassius' description of himself. 

Indifferently. Unconcernedly, 

God so speed me. Assist, guard, favor me. 

Tour outward favor. Your appearance, aspect. 

Had as lief Had as soon. 

Chafing. Rubbing against. 

Lusty. Strong, 

Hearts of controversy . Hearts eager for the combat. 

^neas. A Trojan prince. 

His coicard lips, etc. The allusion is to a soldier 
fleeing from his colors. 

His lustre. His, in Elizabethan English, M'as 
neuter as well as masculine. It was used inter- 
changeably with its ; e.g., " If the salt have lost its 
savor." Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 228. " Its did not 
come into use until late in the 16th century." Rolfe. 

Colossus. This was the statue of a man, one hun- 
dred and five feet high, made by Chares. It was 
erected on the island of Rhodes, to commemorate 
the defence of the island against Demetrius Polior- 
cetcs, B.C. 303. It was twelve years in building ; cost 
$470,000 ; was completed B.C. 280. It stood sixty- 
six years, and was one of the seven wonders of the 
world . 

The great flood. "This flood, commonly called 
the flood of Deucalion, was the Greek mythological 
counterpart of the Noachian deluge." Rolfe. 



106 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Rome indeed, and room enough. Pun. Rome, at 
that time, in England, was pronounced same as 
room. Cf. III. 1. 289. 

" A mourning Rome, a dangerous Rome, 
No Rome of safety," seq. 

There was a Brutus once. The reference is to 
Lucius Junius Brutus, consul B.C. 509. His uncle, 
Tarquin the Proud, had put to death the elder 
brother of Brutus to obtain his wealtli. To avoid a 
like fate, Brutus feigned idiocy ; hence, the name 
Brutus, which means stupid. Later he threw off his 
disguise, expelled the Tarquins, and established the 
Republic B.C. 510. He put his sons to death and died 
childless. The Marcus Brutus of the play came of 
good, plebeian family. 

Nothing jealous. Do not doubt. 

Have some aim. Some conjecture. 

Angry spot. " An angry flush." Rolfe. 

Chidden train. Rebuked, crestfallen followers. 

Such ferret and such fiery. Eyes red, like those of 
the ferret. 

Sleek-headed men. Men who had their hair well 
combed. 

Well-given. Well-disposed, affected, inclined. 

Note Caesar's description of Cassius. It is a fine 
example of Shakespeare's Character-drawing. 

Chanced to-day. Happened, come to pass. 

Ay, marry. Exclamation used to express indig- 
nant surprise. Supposed to be derived from the 
name of the Virgin. 

Coronets. "Inferior crowns worn by noblemen." 
Schmidt. 



JULIUS C^SAR. 107 

Falling sickness. Epilepsy. The Comitia, or gen- 
eral assembly of the Roman people, was stopped if 
any one present was attacked by this illness. It was, 
therefore, called Morbus comitialis. 

Man of any occupation. Term of contempt, op- 
probrium. It refers to a mechanic of a low class. 

Note Cicero thought Caesar was acting a part. 

I am promised forth. Have an engagement. 

Quick mettle. Enterprising, courageous, of fiery 
temper. 

Think of the world. Reflect on these matters. 

Honourable metal may be wrought. Honorable nar 
ture may be influenced. 

Ccesar seat him sure. Be careful to guard against 
danger. Either we will shake him or troublous 
times will come. 

Scene 3. 

Brought you Ccesar home ? Did you go home with 
Csesar ? 

Sway of earth. The whole weight or momentum 
of this globe ; the established order of the world. 

TJnfirm. Obsolete. Now infirm. Not firm. Ap- 
l)lied now almost entirely to the human body. 

Rived. Split. ''Brutus hath rived my heart.'* 
IV. 3. 86. 

Anything more wonderful. Anything more that 
"Was wonderful. 

The bird of night. The owl. 

TJiese are their reasons. This is their explanation. 

Unto the climate. The regions of the earth in 
which they appear. 



108 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Clean from the purpose. Completely away from 
the purpose. 

This disturbed sky. Nature is so threatening it is 
dangerous to walk. 

Thunder -stone. Imaginar}^ product of the thun- 
der ; equivalent to our expression, thunderbolt. 

Case yourself ill wonder. Throw j^ourself into a 
paroxysm of wonder ; or cast yourself about in idle 
conjecture. 

Old men foul and children calculate. This describes 
an abnormal condition. Old men are reflective, 
calculating ; children are foolish, playful. All this 
is now reversed. 

Ordinance. That which is decreed. 

Personal. In individual action. 

Cassias from bondage icill deliver Cassius. That is, 
if Caesar should seize the supreme power, Cassius, 
rather than submit to his authority, will commit 
suicide. 

Note Cassius' description of the mob. 

Fleering tell-tale. This is no tale which is untrue 
and to be treated with contempt or ridicule. 

Be factious, seq. Be active. 

Honourable-dangerous. This is a compound adjec- 
tive. Shakespeare frequently uses them — e.g.. Sud- 
den-bold, L. L. L., II. 1. 107': Fertile- fresh, M.W. of 
W., V. 5. 72; Daring hardy, Richard II., I. 3, 43. 
Of. Abbott, Grammar, § 2. 

Pompey's porch. This w^as a building connected 
with Pompey's theatre. See below. 

In favour's like. In aspect, in appearance is 
like. 



JULIUS C^SAR. 109 

One incorporate, etc. One united with us ; bound 
up with us. 

PrcEtor's chair. The Prsetors were the Roman 
magistrates charged with the administration of jus- 
tice. They were first chosen a.u.c. 387 — i.e., 387 
years after the building of Rome. After the first 
Punic war there were two : one for Roman citizens, 
one for strangers. 

Pompey's theatre. The first stone theatre in Rome, 
built by Pompey, B.C. 55. It was modelled after one 
at Mitylene, and accommodated forty thousand 
spectators. 

Right well conceited. Have correctly conceived, 
have accurately judged, have formed the correct 
opinion. 

ACT II. 

Scene 1. 

Orchard. Not, as now, land on which fruit trees 
are planted, but a garden. Used again in III. 2. 253. 

What, Lucius, ho! . . When, Lucius, when? . . 
What, Lucius! What, when, also why were used 
in Elizabethan English as exclamations of impa 
tience. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, § 73a. 

Taper. A candle. 

Personal cause. A cause appertaining to Caesar as 
an individual. 

The general. The people, the public. 

Crown him ? — that. If that were done. This use 
of that is obsolete. 

Abuse of greatness, seq. Danger of greatness is 



110 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

that it will separate tenderness of heart, pity, from 
its use of authority. 

Affections swayed more than his reason. Caesar 
was governed not by blind impulse, but by rea- 
son. 

Lowliness. Freedom from pride ; meekness, hu- 
mility. 

Brutus's idea is, there is nothing dangerous in 
Caesar now, but if you crown him, it may develop 
dangerous qualities in him ; therefore, kill him 
now. 

Exhalations. Meteors. 

Where I have took. In Elizabethan English in- 
tlection, en frequently dropped. Shakespeare uses 
chose for chosen, arose for arisen, drove for driven, 
mistook for mistaken, and here took for taken. 

My ancestors. This is not historically correct. 
Vide note under I. 2. It is not necessary for a 
dramatist to be historically accurate in all details. 

Motion. Movement, here, of the mind or spirit. 
Between the acting of a dreadful thing and the first 
impulse, purpose, intention to do so, all theinterum, 
seq. 

Phantasma. A vision, a day-dream. 

Genius and the mortal instruments. Genius, the 
mind, the will. Mortal instruments, the bodily 
powers or organs by which the behests of the mind, 
the will, are carried out. 

*' 'Twixt his mental and his active parts 
Kingdom'd Achilles in commotion rages, 
And batters down himself." 

Troilus and Gressida, II. 3. 184, seq. 



JULIUS C^SAR. Ill 

Cf. also II. 1. 175, seq. 

" And let our hearts, as subtle masters do, 
Stir up their servants to an act of rage, 
And after seem to chide 'cm." 

Your brother Cassius. Cassius' wife was Junia, 
the sister of Brutus. 

May discover. May originally meant to he able. 

Mark of favour. Feature, countenance. 

Faction. The Conspirators. 

conspiracy ! etc. Tlie Conspirators covered their 
faces, even though it was night. Could they then 
conceal themselves by day ? 

Thy 7iative semblance. Thy true form, thy natural 
appearance. 

To hide thee from prevention. To conceal thee 
from discovery. 

Good morrow. Good-morning. 

Watchful cares. Cares that prevent sleep. 

Here, as I point, seq. As used for where. 

Sufferance. Distress, suffering. 

Time's abuse. The abuses of the time. 

Drop by lottery. Dies by chance. 

Secret Romans. Romans bound to secrecy. 

Cautelous. Roman law term, cautela, a caution, a 
security. Used by Elizabethan writers in a dis- 
creditable sense. Here means cautious, wary, to tlie 
degree of cowardice. 

Even virtue. Firm, steady virtue. 

Insuppressive metal. Keenness and ardor ; in- 
capable of being suppressed. 

To think that. So as to think that our cause, or 
our performance, seq. 



112 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

A several bastardy. A special, distinct act of 
baseness against ancestry and honorable birth. 

Sound him. Test him. Strike a chord of musical 
instrument to ascertain note. 

Note Briitiis's characterization of Cicero. 

Note Cassius' characterization of Mark Antony. 

A shreiDd contriver. Shrewd was used by Eliza- 
bethan writers in the sense of curst. Bacon wrote : 

" An ant is a wise creature for itself, but it is a shrewd 
thing for an orchard or a garden." 

Wrath in death. Anger, impetuosity in combat. 

Envy afterwards. Malice. 

Purpose necessary, not envious. Shall make evi- 
dent tlie fact that Csesar's death was necessary for 
the good of Rome, and was not caused by malice on 
our part. 

Ingrafted. Rooted. 

That were much. Much to be desired. 

There is no fear in him. There is nothing in him 
which should cause us any fear. 

Count the clock. This is an anachronism. The 
Roman clock. Clepsydra, did not strike the liours. 

Eighth hour. 8 a.m. 

Rated. Chided. 

Let not our looks put on our purposes. Let not our 
faces betray us. 

Formal constancy. Firmness and calmness in out- 
ward appearance. Do not appear anxious. 

Honey -heavy deio of slumber. Slumber that is as 
refreshing as deiD, and the heaviness of which is as 
sweet. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 430. 



JULIUS CtESAK. 113 

No figures, nor no fantasies. Pictures created by 
the imagination. 

The double negative was common in early Eng- 
lish. It was supposed to increase the emphasis. It 
is frequently used by Shakespeare. Cf. Nor for 
yours neither. II. 1. 237. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, 
§406. 

Wafture. Waving. 

Work so much upon your shape, seq. If it had af- 
fected your- body as much as your mind / should 
not know you. 

Physical. Medicinal. 

Unbraced. Ungirt, unbuttoned. 

Dank. Damp. 

Rheumy. " Moist, damp. Shakespeare uses the 
word only here." Rolfe. 

Unpurged. Impure, unwholesome. 

So fathered ; so husbanded. Shakespeare here, as 
frequently, uses nouns as verbs. Cf. Abbott, Gram- 
mar, § 290. 

Gharactery. All that is charactered or expressed 
by my saddened aspect. 

Vouchsafe good morroic. Ellipsis. Vouchsafe to 
receive good morroic. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, § 382. 

To wear a kerchief. This refers to the custom, 
prevalent in Shakespeare's day, in England, of 
sick people wearing a kerchief or covering on the 
head. 

Mortified spirit. Apathetic, insensible, deadened 
spirit. 

Going to whom, seq. Going to Caesar, the vic- 
tim- 



114 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Scene 2. 

Night-gown. A loose gown used for undress, not 
a sleeping robe. 

Present sacrifice. Immediate sacrifice. 

Ceremonies. Omens and signs from ceremonial 
rites. 

Hurtled, ivieans the same as hurt, and probably 
same as whirl. 

Beyond all use. Ad custom. 

A heart within the beast, seq. One of Shake- 
speare's puns. 

Goesar shall go forth. Shall and will were used in- 
terchangeably by Shakespeare and Elizabethan writ- 
ers. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, §§ 315-321. 

Orey-heards. The Roman Senators. Caesar's con- 
tempt for the Senators furnishes some ground for 
their fear that he intended to usurp their power. 
To make the conspiracy seem reasonable is Shake- 
speare's purpose in putting this word in Caesar's 
mouth. 

Cognizance. That by which something is known, 
proven, remembered. 

Reason to my low is liable. Reason, in this, is sub- 
ject to, is governed by, my love. 

Strucken. Shakespeare uses also struck, stricken. 
On the subject of irregular participial formations, 
cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 344. 

We, like friends, seq. . . 2hat every like is not 
the same, seq. That wdiich is like or resembles a 
thing is not always that thing ; that which resembles 
friendship is not always friendship. 



JULIUS C^SAR. 115 



Scene 4. 



Set a huge mountain, seq. So that ray tongue 
may not express the feelings of dread and fear which 
fillmy heart. 

Went sickly forth. "Was sick when he went forth. 

ACT III. 

Scene 1. 

Flourish. This word continually appears in stage 
directions of old plays. It describes a musical prel- 
ude, generally made by a trumpet. 

O'erread. Read over ; read thoroughly, carefully. 

Touches Ccesar nearer. I.e., more vitally. 

Sirrah. Form of salutation addressed to inferior 
persons. 

Be sudden, seq. Act quickly, before we are pre- 
vented . 

Constant. Firm, persevering. 

Presently 'prefer, seq. At once, immediately. 

Rears. Raises. 

Pre-ordinance. Rule previously established. 

First decree. Established law. 

LaiD of children. Control, government by chil- 
dren — i.e., whimsical, impulsive ; not governed by 
reason, but caprice. 

Fond. Foolish. 

Such rebel blood. Such emotion, feeling that rebels 
against reason, judgment. 

Repealing. Recalling. 



116 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Immediate freedom of repeal. Full pardon, uncon- 
ditional recall, and at once. 

Enfranchisement. Restoration to public rights. 

NofelloiD. No other one like it. 

Apprehensive. Possessed of apprehension, intelli- 
gence. 

Olympus. A mountain in Greece, 9750 ft. high. 
It was the home of the gods. 

Et tu, Brute? This is not historically correct. 
Shakespeare was not writing a history, but a drama. 
It was, therefore, not necessary that he should be 
historically accurate in every minor detail. Nor is 
he. Caesar was not killed in the Capitol. He did 
not receive tJiree and thirty wounds, according to 
Plutarch. There was no statue of Pompey there. 
He was killed in the Curia, an edifice built by Pom- 
pey, which, with his famous theatre, he had given 
to the public. 

Amhition's debt is paid. The charge made by the 
Conspirators against Caesar was that he was ambi 
tious. 

Fates, seq. The Parcae or Destinies— Clotho, La- 
chesis, Atropos. The first spins the thread of life ; the 
second fixes its length ; the third severs it. Belief 
in them was real and strong. The student must re- 
member this, and read the play in the light of that day. 

Most boldest. Double superlatives, and compara- 
tives also, were frequently used by Shakespeare and 
other Elizabethan writers. They were supposed to 
increase the emphasis. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 11. 

Be resolved. Have his perplexity, uncertainty rc- 
inpved, 



JULIUS C^SAK. 117 

Thorough. Through. 

Well to friend. For a friend. 

Falls shrewdly, seq. Divines, perceives the con- 
dition of things. 

Shrunk to this little measure. Reference is to 
Caesar's corpse. 

Must be lei blood. Must be murdered. 

Is rank. Rank means excessive growth. Antony- 
means, I know not what man has grown too influen- 
tial, too powerful. 

No mean. No method. 

Wast thou bayed? Brought to bay ; surrounded 
by enemies, as a deer by hounds. 

Sign'd, seq. Covered with blood. 

Pfick'd. Designated by a puncture ; chosen, 
marked. 

Upon this hope. Upon this condition, that you 
shall give me reasons why and wherein Ccesar was 
dangerous. 

Custom of fell deeds. Blood and destruction , /(g^Z 
deeds, shall so become the custom, or of every -day 
occurrence, that men shall be accustomed to them. 

Ate. Goddess of infatuation or reckless crime. 

Carrion men. Dead men, whose bodies are un- 
buried and putrefying. 

Scene 2. 

Not extenuated. Not undervalued ; not detracted 
from. 

On the Lupercal. On the feast of the Lupercal • 
mde note under I. 2. 

Napkins, Handkerchiefs. 



118 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Nervii. Belgians. This battle was fought on the 
banks of the Sambre B.C. 57. Caesar had eight le- 
gions. The Nervii numbered 60,000 men and 600 
Senators. They were almost annihilated. Of 600 
Senators who went into the battle, but 3 were left 
alive ; of 60,000 soldiers, only 500 were left. For a 
description of this battle, cf. Froude's " Caesar," pp. 
241-245. 

Drachma. About 18^ cents. 

Scene 3. 

Things unlucky charge my fantasy. I fancy some 
ill-luck is coming. 

Turn him going. Let him go without further 
hindrance. 

ACT IV. 

Scene 1. 

The triumvirs, Antony, Octavius, Lepidus, did not 
hold this meeting at Rome, but on a small island in 
the River Rhenus (Reno), near Bononia (Bologna). 

Some charge, seq. Some expense, some cost. In 
other words, cancel some of Caesar's legacies. 

Appoint 7iim, seq. Provide him with food. 

Adjects, oris, seq. On objects, arts, etc., which are 
out of date. 

Listen. In Elizabethan English listen was an ac- 
tive verb ; now passive. 

Make head. Gather an armed force. 

Millions of mischiefs. Unlimited mischief. 



JULIUS C^SAR. 119 

Scene 2. 

Sardis. In Lydia, Asia Minor. 

In his own change, seq. As a result of some change 
in his feelings or conduct, or through his otScers. 

Instances. Proofs of familiarity. 

Enlarge your griefs. Describe them to the full 
extent. 

Scene 3. 

" I know no part of Shakespeare that more im- 
presses on me the belief of his (Shakespeare's) genius 
being superhuman, than this scene between Brutus 
and Cassius." Coleridge. 

Nice. Originally meant tender, soft, gentle. Later, 
it was used in the sense of slight, trivial. 

Much condemned. Charged with having taken 
bribes. 

Slight man. Term of contempt. 

Vile trash. Money. 

Indirection. By any underhand or unfair methods. 

Dearer than Plutus' mine. Of greater value than, 
seq. Plutus, in classic mythology, was the personi- 
fication of wealth. Zeus blinded him so that he 
would dispense his gifts to good men and bad, alike. 

Dishonour shall be humour. Any misconduct, in- 
dignity, shall be regarded as a humor, a mere caprice. 

Yoked with a lamb, seq. Brutus describes him- 
self as a man who is mild, but is full of fire, spirit. 

These jigging fools. Jig in Elizabethan English 
meant metrical composition, as well as a dance. 

Companion. Fellow ; term of contempt. 

Distract. Same as distracted. 



120 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Call in question. Submit to careful examination. 

In art, seq. This is an antithesis between art and 
nature. Brutus's patience is natural, Cassius' pa- 
tience is acquired. 

Alive. Work for the living as contrasted with 
grief for the dead. 

Niggard. This is an adjective used as a verb. It 
was a common practice of Elizabethan writers. It 
means here husband or save tired nature by a little 
sleep. 

Overwatched. Have watched longer than you were 
able. 

Leaden mace. Reference is to a club borne by an 
officer of justice. 

ACT V. 

Scene 1. 

Plains of Philippi. In Macedonia. 

Their battles. Battalions, forces. 

Fearful bravery. Braveinf which is not real, but 
only assumed and superficial, and is full of fear. 

Bloody sign of battle. It was a scarlet coat used as 
a sign of battle. Or, it may mean a sign of bloody 
battle. 

This exigent. Exigency. 

Ansioer on their charge. Let them make the ad- 
vances, and we will reply thereto. 
y Make forth. Addressed not to the troops, but to 
Octavius. It means, let us go forth to meet Brutus 
and Cassius, who want to parley. 

Posture of your blows. Possibly error for Nature. 



JULIUS C^SAR. 1^1 

The meaning is. the force, the power of your blows 
is yet unknown. 

Are. This is a Shakespeare idiom. Should be 
2)osture . . is, unless posture of your blows is con- 
sidered a compound noun with plural termination. 
This is very common in the Shakespearian writings. 
Cf. Abbott, Grammar, §§ 333-338. 

Hyhla bees. There were two Hyblas, Both were 
in Sicily : one near Catania, one near Syracuse. The 
honey of the Hybla bees was famous. 

Proof of it. Reference is to the arbitrament of the 
sword. 

Peevish school-boy. Octavius, 

Masker and rexeller. Antony. Cf. I. 2. 223, 224 ; 
II. 2. 116, 117. 

As this very day, seq. As may be intended to 
qualify the statement that Cassius was born on this 
very day, which is not literally true. Or, as mean- 
ing, as I may say, seq. 
/ As Pompey was. Reference is to the battle of 
Pharsalia, fought August 9, B.C. 48. Pompey was 
compelled to fight it against his judgment, owing to 
the clamorous demands of his followers. It ended 
in his total defeat by Csesar. 

Epicurus. A Greek philosopher. He believed, 
and taught, that human conduct was not controlled 
by Necessity. He rejected Fatalism, the doctrine of 
the Stoics. Cassius, who had formerly been a fol- 
lower of Epicurus, now rejects his teachings ajid 
^ becomes a Fatalist. He believes in omens. 

Cato. In the Civil War between Pompey and 
Caesar he sided with the former. After the battle of 



122 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Pharsalia he retired to Utica, iu Northern Africa. 
There, in the year 46 b.c, he committed suicide. 

Scene 2, 

Bills. Notes containing orders to generals. 
Cold demeanor. Lacli of enthusiasm. 
Sudden push. An assault. 

Scene 3. 

Parthia. Now Persia. 

Error . . Melancholy. These are personified and 
then apostrophized. 

Our oion proper entrails. Proper, belonging to a 
particular person. It here emphasizes oion. 

Thassos. An island in the ^gean Sea, south of 
Macedonia. 

Funerals. This word and funeral used inter- 
changeably by Shakespeare. Cf. III. 1. 230, 233, 
249 ; III. 2. 89 ; III. 3. 22 ; Titus Andronicus, I. 1. 
381. 

III. Table of Acts and Scenes in which each 
character appears. Also, number of lines 
spoken by each character. Also, group- 
ing of minor characters, to be read in a 
reading club by one person. 

No. of 
Lines. 
727 Brutus, I, 2; 11,1.2; 111.1,2; IV, 2,3; V, 1,2,3,4,5. 
507 Cassius, I, 2, 3 : II. 1 ; III, 1 ; I V, 2, 3 ; V, 1, 3. 
327 Antony, I, 2 ; II. 2 : III, 1,2; IV, 1 ; V, 1,4,5. 
154 Caesar, I, 2 ; II, 2; III, 1 ; IV, 3. 
136 Casca, I, 2,3; 1 1, 1 ; III, 1. 

47 Octavias. IV, 1 : V, 1.5. 

44 Decius, II, 1, 2 ; III, 1. 

39 Messala, IV, 3 ; V, 1, 3, 5. 



JULIUS C^SAR. 123 



33 


Marullus, I, 1. 


33 


Lucius, II, 1,4; IV, 3 


32 


Titinius, IV, 3; V, 3. 


30 


Servant, II, 2; III, 1,2. 


26 


Lucilius, IV, 2, 3; V, 1,4,5. 


28 


riavius, I, 1. 


24 


2d Citizen, III, 2, 3. 


2:3 


1st Citizen, III, 2, 3. 


23 


3d Citizen, 111,3,3. 


23 


4th Citizen, III, 2, 3. 


20 


Artemidorus, II, 3 ; III, 1. 


20 


2d Commoner, I, 1. 


18 


Soothsayer, I, 2 ; II, 4 ; III 1. 


18 


Cinna, I. 3 ; II, 1 : III, 1. 


17 


Metellus, II, 1 ; III, 1. 


16 


Cinna, the Poet, III, 3. 


16 


Pindanis. IV, 2; V, 3. 


15 


"All," 111,2; V,5. 


15 


Ligarius, II, 1. 


10 


Clitus, V, 5. 




Strato, V, 5. 


7 


Poet, IV, 3. 


8 


Cato, V, 3, 4. 


9 


Cicero, I, 3. 


8 


Trebonius, II, 1,2; III, 1. 


6 


Varro, IV, 3. 


5 


Ist Soldier, IV, 2 ; V, 4. 


4 


Lepidus, IV, 1. 


4 


Claudius, IV, 3. 


4 


Messenger, V, 1. 


3 


Dardanius, V, 5. 


3 


Volumnius, V, 5. 




1st Commoner, I, 1. 


2 


Publius, 11,2; 111,1. 


2 


Popilius, III, 1. 


2 


2dSoldier, IV, 2; V, 4. 


1 


3d Soldier, IV, 2. 


92 


Portia, II, 1, 4. 


27 


Calphurnia, 1,2; 11, 2. 




Popilius. 




Messala, 




let Soldier, 




Artemidorus. 




1st Citizen. 




Messenger. 




Lepidus. 




Cinna. 




Lucilius. 




Trebonius. ) 




MaruUus. > 




Poet. ) 



124 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 



Claudius. 

2d Citizen. 

2d Commoner. 

Octavius 

let Commoner, 

3d Soldier. 

Cicero. 

Strato. 

Lucius 

Publius. 

Ligarius. 

Titinius. 

Decius. 

Dardanus. 

2d Soldier. 

Metellus. 

Flavins. 

Varro. 

Cato. 

Soothsayer. 

3d Citizen. 

Volumnius. 

Cinna (Poet). 

Servant. 

Clitus. 

Pindarus. 

4th Citizen. 



IV. Questions. 



ACT I. 



1. Where are enacted the opening scenes of this 
play ? 

2. What was the nature and what the function of 
the Roman Tribune ? 

3. What is Shakespeare's purpose in introducing 
the Tribunes ? 

Ans. To show that there was danger that tlie 
rights of the people might be trespassed on by the 
patricians. 

4. Flavins refers to some sumptuary law. Is it 
known what that law was ? 



JULIUS C^SAR. 125 

Ans. No. 

5. Why are the citizens addressed sometimes as 
thou, sometimes as you ? 

6. What was the nature of a Roman triumph ; its 
cause, to whom granted, how celebrated ? 

7. How many triumphs were decreed to Caesar ? 

8. To which of them does Marullus refer in Sc. 1 ? 

9. What triumphs were decreed to Pompey ? 

10. What qualities does the Roman mob mani- 
fest in its attitude toward Pompey and toward 
Caesar ? 

Ans. Ingratitude, fickleness. 

11. To what disorderly conduct of the rabble does 
Flavins refer ? 

12. Why does Shakespeare write Sc. 1 partly in 
blank verse, partly in prose ? 

13. What is the feast of Lupercal ? 

14. What metaphor does Flavins use at the end of 
Sc. 1? 

15. In what respects is the Roman mob in this 
scene like, and in what unlike the one in Coriolanus, 
Act I., Sc.l? 

Ans. I. In both, the populace talk in prose, the 
authorities in heroic verse. II. In Coriolanus the 
mob is a warlike one, Rome and her rats are at the 
point of battle. In Julius CcBsar it is quarrelsome, 
good-natured, mechanical; making holiday to see 
Ccesar and to rejoice in his triumph. 

16. What was the nature and work of a Sooth- 
sayer in Rome at the time of Csesar ? 

17. Why does Csesar order Calphurnia to stand 
directly in Antonius' loay, seq. ? 



120 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

18. How were shall and will used by Shakespeare ? 

19. "What message did the Soothsayer bring to 
Csesar ? 

20. When were the ides ? 

31. What does Brutus say to Cassius about the 
Soothsayer ? 
23. What does Cassius say to the Soothsayer ? 

23. Why does Shakespeare here make thrice- 
repeated reference to the ides of March ? 

Ans. To foreshadow the event that was to take 
place on that da3^ 

24. Why does he make Brutus and Cassius assist 
in giving tliis warning ? 

Ans. To prevent Caesar suspecting them of being 
dangerous. 

35. Does Caesar in ignoring the warning of the 
Soothsayer manifest unbelief in the current opinions 
about Soothsayers, or inability to read the signs of 
the times, or fearlessness ? 

26. What description of himself does Brutus give ? 

27. What of himself does Cassius give ? 

28. Wliat effect do the shouts of the people have 
on Brutus ? 

29. What is the dramatic purpose of this ? 

Ans. To awaken in Brutus fears for tlie safety of 
the Republic, and thus induce him to join the con- 
spiracy. 

30. What does Cassius say of Caesar ? 

31. Who was ^neas ? 

33. What was the Colossus ? 

33. What description of Caesar, Calphurnia, Cicero 
is given by Brutus ? 



JULIUS C^SAR. 127 

34. What does Caesar say of Cassius, and of his 
feeling toward him ? 

35. What description does Casca give of the 
mob's conduct toward Caesar, and of Caesar's action 
in response thereto ? 

36. What physical infirmity did Caesar suffer 
from ? 

37. Why does Shakespeare mention the physical 
infirmities of Caesar ? 

Ans. To contrast his physical weakness with the 
strength of his character— e.g., his mind, his will. 

38. What does Casca say of Cicero ? 

39. Why were Marullus and Flavins jyut to silence ? 

40. What is the dramatic significance of this fact ? 
Ans. To emphasize the growing popularity of 

Caesar, and, as a result, the increasing danger of 
this to the Republic. Also, to give some justifica- 
tion for the conspiracy which w^as shortly to be 
formed. 

41. What analysis of Casca's character do Brutus 
and Cassius give ? 

42. What description of Brutus does Cassius give 
in the soliloquy at the end of Sc. 2 ? 

43. What does Cassius say he will do ? 

44. What current superstitions are described by 
Casca at the beginning of Sc. 3, and what opinion 
of them does he express ? 

45. What does Cicero say about portents ? 

46. What, and by whom made, is the first refer- 
ence to Caesar as a king ? 

47. What is Cassius' description of the Roman 
mob? 



128 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

48. Does the conduct of the mob in this play 
prove that description to be correct ? 

49. To whom, and in wliat words, does Cassius 
first broach the subject of the conspiracy ? 

50. What compound adjective does Shakespeare 
use here ? 

51. Does he frequently use such ? 

52. What does Cassius order Cinna to do ? 

53. What is the history of Pompey's theatre ? 

54. What do Cassius and Casca say of Brutus, 
and of his iudispensableness to the success of the 
conspiracy ? 

55. What has Shakespeare accomplished in Act I. ? 
Ans. I. He has foreshadowed the tragedy of the 

drama by the quarrel between tlie Tribunes and the 
people, in Sc. 1 ; and b}'' disturbances in Nature, 
in Sc. 3. II. He has introduced all the principal 
characters in the drama and revealed their cardinal 
traits. HI. He has described the dangers threaten- 
ing the Republic from Caesar's ambition, and has 
thereby given some justification for the conspiracy. 
IV. By his repeated reference to the ides of March, 
he has directed attention to that as the time when 
the conspiracy will reach its culmination in Caesar's 
death. 

ACT II. 

56. What is the meaning of orchard in Elizabethan 
English ? 

57. What is the dramatic function of Lucius ? 
Ans. A Link-Person. 

58. Where else in the play does he appear ? 



JULIUS C^SAK. 129 

^^ 59, What is Brutus's reasoning by which lie con- 
vinces himself that Csesar should be slain ? 

GO. How does it compare with Macbeth's soliloqu}' 
(I. 7) on the subject of Duncan's murder ? 

61, Who sent, and what were the contents of, the 
letter tliat Lucius brings to Brutus ? 

63. What answer does Lucius give to Brutus's 
question, Is not to tnorroir, boy, the ides of March? 

63. What is the dramatic purpose of this question 
and answer ? 

Alls. To inform the spectators of the drama that 
the day against which the Soothsayer has warned 
Caesar has dawned. 

64. Is Brutus's statement. My ancestors, seq., his- 
torically correct ? 

65. What description does Brutus give of his 
mental and emotional condition ? 

66. What was the relationship between Cassias 
and Brutus ? 

67. What does Brutus, in a soliloquy, say about 
C'inspiracy f 

68. Who composed the group of Conspirators 
that call on Brutus ? 

69. What is the natui-e of Grouping in a drama, 
and in other art products ? 

Ans. Cf, "Genesis of Art-Form," Raymond, 
chap. vi. 

70. What is the dramatic purpose of the dis- 
'cussion between Decius, Casca, Cinna as to the 
East? 

Ans. To reveal the unsettled, disturbed condition 
of the Conspirators. 



130 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

71. What reasons does Brutus give for reject- 
ing Cassius' suggestion, let us swear our resolu- 
tion f 

72. What phases of his character do they reveal ? 

73. What decision is reached as to inviting Cicero 
to join the conspiracy ? 

74. Why does Cassius favor, why does Brutus 
oppose, the killing of Antony ? 

75. What decision is reached ? 

76. Does Brutus afterward realize that his judg- 
ment in this matter was fatally mistaken ? 

Ans. V. 1. 45, seq. 

77. What does Trebonius say of Antony ? 

78. What is Cassius' description of the change in 
Caesar ? 

79. What does Decius say of his ability to induce 
Caesar to go to the Capitol ? 

80. Caesar was not slain at the Capitol. Why did 
Shakespeare make the event take place there ? 

Ans. To make the deed national, and to give it 
grandeur. 

81. What has been accomplished at this meeting 
of the Conspirators ? 

Ans. Plans for the murder of Caesar have been 
carefully made. 

82. What is the dramatic purpose of the boy 
Lucius sleeping immediately before and after the 
meeting of the Conspirators ? 

Ans. To make the midnight plans of the Con- 
spirators for the murder of Caesar seem more cruel, 
bloody, tragic by contrasting with them peaceful 
Nature and a sleeping boy. 



JULIUS dCSAK. 131 

83. What description of Brutus's condition and 
conduct does Portia give ? 

84. Wliat protest does she make against his neglect 
of her ? 

85. What does Portia say of her father and hus- 
band ? 

86. What nouns lias Shakespeare here made into 
verbs ? 

87. What proof has Portia given of her constancy? 

88. What tribute does Brutus pay to her ? 

89. What is the nature of this interview between 
Brutus and Portia ? 

Alls. Episodic. 

90. In what respects is this parting interview 
like, in what unlike the one between Hotspur and 
Lady Percy in /. Henry IV., II. 3 ? 

91. How is the interview between Brutus and 
Portia terminated ? 

92. What decision does Ligarius reach in refer- 
ence to the exploit wdiich Brutus says he has in 
hand? 

93. What is Calphurnia's mental and emotional 
condition ? 

94. How does it compare with Portia's ? 

95. In what other plays does Shakespeare make 
dramatic use of dreams ? 

Ans. Cf. "Folk-Lore of Shakespeare," pp. 477, 
478. 

96. What is the meaning of ceremonies? 

97. What ceremonies does Calphurnia describe as 
having taken place ? 

98. What does Csesar say about death ? 



132 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

99. Did the historic Caesar hold these opinions ? 
Ans. Cf. " Ca3sar," Fronde, p. 493. 

100. What was the nature, the function, the in- 
fluence of augurers in Rome at that time ? 

101. What reply does Calphurnia make to Caesar's 
defiance of danger ? 

103. Is this warning re-echoed later ? 
Ans. II. 3. 6. 

103. What statement of a similar nature, which 
foresliadows Macbeth's ruin, does Hecate make ? 

Ans. Macbeth, III. 5. 32, 33. 

104. Does Caesar yield, and if so why, to Cal- 
phurnia's entreaties ? 

105. Who now enters and confers with Calphurnia 
and Caesar ? 

106. Has his appearance been foreshadowed ? 
Ans. Cf. II. 1, 202, seq. 

107. What message for the Senators did Caesar 
give to Decius ? 

108. What was Calphurnia's dream ? and what is 
Decius' interpretation thereof ? 

109. What does Decius say the Senate have con- 
cluded to give . . to CcEsar? 

110. What is the dramatic purpose of this ? 

Ans. To reveal the fact that the fears of the Con- 
spirators for the Republic were not groundless. 

111. Does Caesar reverse his decision ? 

112. Who now enter ? 

113. What is the derivation, what the meaning, of 
strucken ? 

1 14. What dramatic effect is produced by Caesar's 
offer of wine to his guests ? 



JULIUS CESAR. 133 

Alls. It awakens pathos in the spectators. 

115. What does Brutus say in an aside iu response 
to Ca3sar's friendly greetings ? 

116. What phase of Brutus's character does this 
reveal ? 

117. Who constitute the group that meets at 
Caesar's palace at this time ? 

118. Why was Cassius absent ? 

Ans. Csesar mistrusted him. It was necessary at 
this time to allay any suspicions that Caesar might 
have, and thereby be prevented from going to the 
Capitol. 

119. What is the dramatic purpose of this group ? 
Ans. To bring together those who were to be 

participants in the tragedy about to be enacted. 

120. What is the nature of Sc. 3 ? 
Ans. Episodic. 

121. What is its dramatic function ? 

Ans. I. It reveals again, and most clearly, the 
fatal danger threatening Caesar. II. It pays a 
tribute to the virtue of Caesar. 

122. What is the nature of Sc. 4 ? 
Ans. Episodic. 

123. What is its dramatic function ? 

A?is. I. To emphasize still further the danger 
threatening Caesar. II. To reveal Portia's distress 
and contrast it with that of Calphurnia. 

124. What quality does Portia apostrophize ? 

125. What does the Soothsayer say ? 

126. What does Shakespeare accomplish by Scs. 3 
and 4? 

Ans. I. He temporarily stops the movement of 



134 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

the action. II. He reveals the anxiety of Caesar's 
friends, and also that of Brutus's friends. III. He 
intensifies the emotional disturbance of the spec- 
tators, and by so doing prepares them for the Climax 
of the drama. 

127. What has Shakespeare accomplished in Act 
II.? 

Ans. The conspiracy has been formed ; its plans 
for the murder of Csesar have been fully arranged. 
In it the preparations for the Climax of the action 
have been completed. 

ACT III. 

128. What is a Flourish? 

i 129. Who constitute the group at the beginning 
of Sc. 1 ? 

130. Where does the murder of Caesar take place ? 

131. Is this historically correct ? 

. 132. With what remark of Caesar does this Act 
begin ? 

133. What is the dramatic purpose of the repeated 
warnings of the Soothsayer and of Artemidorus ? 

134. What do Decius, Publius, Cassius say to 
divert Caesar's attention from these warnings ? 

135. Do Caesar's conduct and words at this time 
make evident the groundlessness of the Conspirators' 
fears for the Republic ? 

136. What order does Cassius give to Casca ? 

137. What does Trebonius do ? 

138. What reply does Caesar make to the peti- 
tioners ? 



JULIUS C^SAR. 135 

139. What is the meaning of turn j)ve- ordinance 
and first decree, seq. ? 

140. Who stabbed Caesar first, who last ? 

141. What effect did Brutus's blow have on Caesar? 

142. What description of the murder does Antony 
give ? 

Ans. V. 1. 39, seq. 

143. What was the immediate effect on the Con- 
spirators of Caesar's death ? 

144. To whom does Brutus appeal ? 
Ans. Fates, Posterity. 

145. What does Cassius say ? 

146. Is it a fair inference from what was said at 
this time that Brutus and Cassius were actuated 
solely by patriotic motives ? 

147. What is the dramatic significance of the 
entrance of a servant ? 

Ans. It is the acme of the Climax. From this 
time the action changes its direction and moves 
downward toward the conclusion of the drama. 
Previous to this the Conspirators were successful in 
everything they attempted ; after this all their plans 
miscarried. 

148. What message from Antony does the servant 
bring ? 

149. What does Antony himself say when he ar- 
rives ? 

150. Why is he friendly with the Conspirators ? 
Ans. Not because of disloyalty to Caesar. He 

knew he was to be the avenger. He simply concealed 
his purpose until a fitting time for its execution ar- 
rived. 



136 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

151, What does he say when apostrophizing 
Caesar's dead body ? 

152. What request does lie make of Brutus ? 

\ 153. Is Brutus unwise in granting Antony's re- 
quest ? 

154. Does Cassius perceive impending danger in 
the permission Brutus gives to Antony to speali at 
Csesar's funeral ? 

155. When the Conspirators retire, what tribute to 
Caesar does Antony pay, and what does he prophesy 
will be the result of this deed ? 

156. What change in Antony's conduct is wrought 
by Caesar's death ? 

157. What is the principal dramatic purpose of 
this apostrophe to Caesar's remains ? 

Ans. To designate Antony as the avenger of the 
murder of Caesar, 

158. Who now enters ? 

159. What message does he bring from Octa- 
vius ? 

160. Why does the servant stop, and Antony ex- 
press for him his grief and horror ? 

Ans. To give to the expression of grief, dignit}'-, 
and make it more impressive, 

161. What reply does Antony make ? 

162. After the Conspirators depart, who takes 
charge of, and keeps till it is burned, the body of 
Caesar ? 

163. Why does Shakespeare make Antony the cus- 
todian of the body ? 

164. Why does Shakespeare make the entrances of 
the avengers in this order : Servant of Antony, An- 



JULIUS C^SAR. 137 

tony himself, servant of Octavius, and not till Act 
IV. Octavius himself ? 

Ans. To observe the principle of Gradation. Cf. 
::iijGrenesis of Art-Form," Raymond, chap. xvi. 
,^ 165. Where are delivered the funeral speeches of 
Brutus and Antony ? 

166. What do the citizens say ? 

167. What motive does Brutus give for his part in 
the assassination ? 

168. Judging from his previous conduct and words, 
is it fair to presume he was truthful in all he said ? 

Ans. Undoubtedly. 
, 169. Were the other Conspirators governed by pub- 
lic or private reasons, by good or bad motives ? 

170. What is the effect on the citizens of Brutus's 
speech ? 

Ans. While it is favorable to Brutus, it is to him 
as a representative of Ccesaf s better parts. 

171. What request does Brutus make to the citi- 
zens just before departing ? 

172. What subtle but effective method did Antony 
|)ursue to destroy the effect on the citizens of Brutus's 
speech ? 

Ans. At first he praised Brutus. Later, when he 
had the ears of the citizens, he poured therein praises 
for Caesar. 

173. What three reasons does Antony give to dis- 
prove Brutus's charge that Caesar was ambitious ? 

Ans. I. He hath brought many captives home to 
Borne, seq. II. When that the poor ham cried, seq. 
III. Yon all did see, seq. 

174. What was the effect of Antony's oration ? 



138 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

\ 175. Shakespeare makes the change in the opinions 
of the citizens to take place not suddenly, but grad- 
ually. Why ? 
Ans. To observe the Law of Gradation. 

176. To what battle does Antony refer ? 

177. What were the particulars of that battle ? 
Ans. Cf. "Caesar," Froude, chap, xiv., pp. 

241-245. 

178. What does Antony say of Brutus's cut f 

179. Was the use of double superlatives and double 
comparatives frequent in Elizabethan English ? 

180. What does Antony say of himself as an 
orator ? 

181. What of Caesar's will ? 

182. What is the ultimate result of his oration ? 

183. After the citizens retire with the body, to 
burn it. what does Antony say ? 

184. Who now enters, and what message does he 
bring ? 

185. What does Antony say about Fortune? 

186. What have Brutus and Cassius done ? 

187. Brutus's speech is in prose, Antony's in blank 
verse. Why ? 

Am. Brutus's speech is argumentative, philo- 
sophic, patriotic, addressed to the reason of the 
hearers. Antony's is impassioned and addressed to 
their feelings. Cf. Abbott, "Grammar," §§511, 
515, 515a. Also " English Lessons for English 
People." Seeley and Abbott, p. 54, seq.; also pp. 
147-149. 

188. Up to the time of the murder of Caesar who 
had been the dominant force in the drama ? 



JULIUS C^SAR. 139 

189. After the murder who became such ? 

190. What does Cinna, the Poet, say of his dream ? 

191. What do the citizens say to him, and what 
does he reply ? 

192. Do they execute their threats ? 
Ans. No. 

193. What is the function of the mob in tliis play ? 
A?is. It constitutes the Environing Action, 

194. What is the nature, what the function of the 
Environing Action in the drama ? 

Ans. It is an environing influence which is outside 
of the action of the drama. It takes no direct part in 
the action, and yet exerts a continuous and puissant 
influence thereon. Examples are the Witclies in Mac- 
beth; the Argosies in The Merchant of Venice ; the 
Roman mob in this play. 

195. What has Shakespeare accomplished in this 
Act? 

Ans. He has successfully brought to a Climax the 
action of the drama. 

ACT IV. 

196. Who are the Avengers ? 

197. Do they now become the dominant force in 
the drama ? 

198. AVhere did they meet after Caesar's death ? 

199. Is this historically correct ? 

200. What is the meaning of their names are 
prick' d? and what two names are mentioned as being 
prick' d? 

201. Why, and whom, does Antony send for 
Caesar's will ? 



140 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

202. What is the meaning of cut off some charge in 

? 



203. What new phase in Antony's character does 
this proposition reveal ? 

204. What is Antony's description of Lepidus' 
character ? 

205. What plan of campaign does Antony propose 
to Octavius ? 

206. What does Octavius say in response ? 

207. What is the meaning of millions of mis- 
cliiefs ? 

208. What is tlie first effect on the triumvirs of the 
possession of power ? 

209. What is the dramatic purpose of the dissen- 
sions among the triumvirs ? 

Ans. To reveal a new phase of their characters. 

210. In what respects are Antony, Octavius, Lepi- 
dus alike, in what unlike ? 

211. How do they compare with Brutus, Cassius, 
and the other Conspirators ? 

212. Shakespeare in this play portrays Conspiracy, 
Mob-rule, Tyranny, as represented by, respectively, 
Brutus, Cassius, et al.; the people ; the triumvirs. 
What are the characteristics of each ? 

213. To what place is the action of the drama now 
removed ? 

214. What does Sc. 2 reveal as to the relations 
of Brutus and Cassius ? 

215. What is Brutus's description of a liot friend 
cooling ? 

216. What wise counsel does Brutus give to Cas- 
sius ? 



JULIUS C^SAR. 141 

217. What does Coleridge say of Shakespeare's 
portrayal of this tent-scene ? 

218. What charge does Brutus bring against Cas- 
sius ? 

219. Does Cassius deny it ? 

220. What warning does Brutus give Cassius ? 

221. What angry retorts does Cassius make V 

222. How does Brutus taunt Cassius ? 

223. When anger gives way to kindliness, what is 
said by each ? . 

224. When each has reached his usual equable con- 
dition, what expressions of regret and good- will does 
each make ? 

225. Who was Plutus ? 

226. What is the dramatic significance of this 
quarrel ? 

Ans. I. It is the counterpart of the dissension 
among the Conspirators at the formation of the con- 
spiracy. II. It is the first indication of the coming 
Nemesis. It foreshadows retribution, 

227. What is the dramatic effect of the Poet's en- 
trance and advice ? 

Ans. I. It is episodic. II. It tends to relieve the 
emotional strain of the two men, and to usher in a 
peaceful conclusion to the stormy interview. 

228. When the Poet leaves, what sad news does 
Brutus divulge to Cassius ? 

229. What were the causes of Portia's death ? 

230. What is the dramatic significance of it ? 
A?is. It was the first recoil of the Conspirators' 

deeds on themselves ; the first of many deaths caused 
by retributive justice. 



142 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

231. Wliat is the dramatic function, at this time, 
of Messala ? 

Alls. To give information as to occurrences in 
Rome after the scene of the drama has been removed 
from there. 

232. What is that information ? 

233. What message does Messala bring about 
Portia ? 

234. How does Brutus bear his loss ? 

235. Why does Shakespeare make this second al- 
lusion to Portia's death ? 

Ans. To darken the gloom that is gathering about 
the Conspirators, and to foreshadow still greater 
trouble. 

236. What is the meaning of Well, to our work 
alive ? 

237. Where was Philippi ? 

238. What were the reasons urged by Brutus in 
favor of fighting Antony and Octavius at Philippi, and 
what were those urged against so doing by Cassius ? 

239. What decision is reached ? 

240. Is this a mistake ? 

> 241. After this decision is reached how does this 
Act end ? 

Ans. With two episodes : one that of Lucius, 
the other that of Caesar's ghost. 

242. What is the dramatic purpose of the first ? 
Ans. Reminiscent. It recalls the night on which 

the conspiracy was formed. Cf. Act II. Sc. 1. 

243. What is the dramatic purpose of the latter ? 
Ans. Prescient. It represents Nemesis. It fore- 
tells the fate of Brutus on the morrow. 



JULIUS CiESAH. 143 

244. Did Caesar's ghost appear to Brutus more 
than once ? 

245. In what other plays has Shakespeare made 
dramatic use of ghosts ? 

A71S. Hamlet, Macbeth, Richard III., Temjjest. 

246. AVas the belief in ghosts prevalent in England 
in Shakespeare's day ? 

Am. Cf. "The England of Shakespeare," 
Goadby, p. 196, seq. ; " Folk-Lore of Shakespeare," 
p. 41. 

247. What traits of Brutus are revealed by his re- 
marks to Lucius ? 

Ans. His love of literature and music. 

248. What message does Caesar's ghost bring to 
Brutus ? 

249. What effect did it have on Brutus ? 

250. What is the symbolic meaning of Lucius' 
statement, The strings, my lord, are false? 

Ans. It recalls the false, mistaken methods of the 
Conspirators. 

251. How does this Act close ? 
Ans. Oo, and commend me, seq. 

252. What is the nature of this 4th Act ? 

Ans. I. It is episodic. The main action of the 
drama has been quiescent. II. It is also prepara- 
tory. Every arrangement has been made for the 
Catastrophe or conclusion of the drama. 

ACT V. 

253. What was said at the conference between 
Octavius and Antony as to the plans of Brutus and 
Cassius ? 



144 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

254. Was Antony correct in his opinion of the 
reasons that influenced Brutus and Cassius in their 
military movements ? 

255. AVhat report does a Messenger bring ? 

256. What is the plan of battle arranged by Octa- 
vius and Antony ? 

257. What mistake made by Brutus does that of 
Octavius, in demanding the position upon the right 
hand, balance ? 

s^ 258. What was said at the conference between the 
Conspirators and Avengers, immediately preceding 
the battle ? 

259. To what mistake of Brutus does Cassius refer ? 

Ans. Cf. II. 1. 155. 

2G0. Octavius speaks of Ccesar's three and thirty 
wounds. Does this agree with Plutarch's account ? 

Ans. Cf. " Shakespeare's Plutarch," p. 101. 

261. What is Cassius' characterization of Antony 
and Octavius ? 

262. What is the result of the conference as ex- 
pressed by Octavius, also by Cassius ? 

263. What is the dramatic purpose of this confer- 
ence ? 

Ans. It is to recall once more to the minds of the 
spectators the events connected with the murder of 
Caesar. It is an example of what in art is known as 
Repetition, Alteration, Alternation. Cf. " Genesis 
of Art-Form, ' Raymond, chap. xii. 

264. To what battle of Pompey does Cassius refer ? 

265. What was the philosophy of Epicurus ? 

266. When Cassius repudiates the philosophy of 
Epicurus what does he become ? 



JULIUS C^SAR. 145 

Ans. A stoic. 

267. To what things that do presage does Cassius 
refer ? 

268. What change does Brutus make in his philo- 
sophic views ? 

269. What death did Cato give himself f 

270. What is the dramatic purpose of Cassius' 
statement to Messala, and of the conference between 
Brutus and Cassius ? 

Ans. To foreshadow their impending defeat and 
death. 

'^"271. What is the dramatic purpose of Sc. 2 ? 
Ans. To intensify the interest of the spectators. 
272. What was the plan of battle ? 
^""^37^. What was the effect on Octavius of the as- 
sault of Brutus, what on Cassius of that of Antony ? 

274. What did Cassius say just before committing 
suicide ? 

275. What is Messala's apostrophe to Error ? 

276. What is the dramatic purport of this ? 
Ans. Primarily, to reveal the cause of the defeat 

of the Conspirators ; secondarily, that of the con- 
spiracy, which was begun, and continued and ended 
in Error. 

277. When Brutus heard of Cassius' death what 
apostrophe to Julius Cijesar did he make ? 

278. What is the dramatic purport of this apostro- 
phe to Caesar and also of that of Brutus ? 

Ans. It was to make still more evident and to em- 
phasize the fact, that the subject of the drama is not 
the portrayal of Julius Caesar as a man, but as the 
embodiment of a principle, 



146 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

279. What eulogy does Brutus pronounce over 
Cassius ? 

280. What description of himself does Brutus give 
to Cato ? 

281. What is Brutus's farewell statement to his 
friends ? 

282. How does Brutus die ? 

283. What eulogies do Antony and Octavius 
pronounce on Brutus ? 

284. The Catastrophe or conclusion of this tragedy 
is more pathetic than tragic. Why ? 

A)is. Because Brutus erred not through malice, but 
through noble, though mistaken motives. Hence he 
does not suffer from remorse. 

285. How does it compare in this respect with the 
Catastrophe in Othello, and with that of Romeo and 
Juliet f 

286. How does it contrast with the Catastrophes of 
Richard III., and Macbeth? 



287. What was the Main Action, what the Envi- 
roning Action in this drama ? 

388. Plutarch's narration of the facts in this play 
is in the form of a history, Shakespeare's in the 
form of a drama. What is the difference between a 
history and a drama ? 

Note. — I have discussed this subject at length in 
The Looker-On, December, 1895, p. 212, seq. 

289. Was the charge of the Conspirators, that 
CcTesar w^as ambitious, and that that ambition was a 
menace to the Republic, well founded ? 



JULIUS C^SAR. 147 

290. As the action of the play progresses, the char- 
acters of Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, Antony change. 
Are these changes natural ? Are they artistic ? 

291. What is Nemesis in the drama ? 

Ans. Cf. "Shakespeare as a Dramatic Artist," 
Moulton, p. 44, seq. 

292. Is Shakespeare's portrayal of Nemesis in this 
drama artistic ? 

293. Shakespeare makes numerous references to 
Julius Caesar in his other plays. In what plays ? 
What does he say ? In what respects does the por- 
trayal in the other plays compare, and in what does 
it contrast with, that in this play ? 

294. What rank in English oratory is assigned to 
the speeches of Brutus and Antony ? 

A}is. Cf. "English Lessons for English People," 
p. 224. 

295. How does the portrayal of Portia as a noble 
Roman matron compare with that of Virgilia in 
Coriolanns ? 

296. There are but two women in this play — less 
than in most of the Shakespeare plays. Why ? 

297. Shakespeare has written three Roman plays. 
Of what is each a portrayal ? 

Ans. C(?W(9Za7iz^5, a conflict of classes. Antony and 
Cleopatra, a conflict of individuals. Julius Ccesar, a 
conflict of principles. 

298. What principles were represented in Julius 
CcBsar as being in conflict ? 

Ans. Republican ts. Monarchical principles. 

299. In what localities do the different actions in 
this drarha take place ? 



148 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

300. What other geographical references are there ? 

301. How does Shakespeare's portrayal of Roman 
life in this play compare with that of Ben Jonson in 
Catiline, and in Sejaiius ? 

302. Julius Caesar speaks little, does little, and 
disappears in Act III. Is the play, therefore, rightly 
named ? 

Ans. Yes. The drama is not the portrayal of a 
man, but of a principle. For that reason, also, the 
play did not end with the death of Csesar. The 
tragedy is the death of the Republic, which takes 
place at Philippi. 

303. This play is a perfect example of Proportion 
and Balance in a work of art. What are the examples 
of it ? 

Ans. Brutus vs. Cassius ; Antony vs. Octavius ; 
Portia vs. Caiphurnia ; Brutus and Portia vs. Caesar 
and Caiphurnia ; the Meeting of the Conspirators 
vs. that of the Avengers. 

Cf. "Genesis of Art-Form," Raymond, chaps, 
iv,, V. 

304. This play is full of puns. What and where 
are they ? 

Ans. I. 1, lines 13, 17, 22,24. 

I. 2, lines 96, 156, 157, 280. 
I. 3, lines 101. 
II. 1, lines 145. 
III. 1, lines 215. 

305. What opinion was held by the educated Ro- 
mans of this period on the subject of suicide ? 

Ans. Cf. " History of European Morals," Lecky, 
Vol. I., p. 229, seq. 



JULIUS C^SAR. 149 

V. Collateral Reading. 

Shakespeare Commentaries, Gervinus, pp. 698- 
\ 731. 

A Shakespeare, His Mind and Art, Dowden, pp. 
245-399. 

William Shakespeare, Wendell, p. 338, seq. 
"^Characteristics of Women, Jameson, p. 363, seq. 
Characters of Shakespeare's Plays, Hazlitt. 
^;^;^raik's English of Shakespeare, edited by Rolfe. 
Caesar, Froude. 

History of the Romans under the Empire, Mer- 
'vale, Volumes I., 11. , III. 

Lectures on Shakespeare, Coleridge, Bohn's Edi- 
tion, pp. 311-315. 

Essays and Notes on Shakespeare, Hales, pp. 324- 
237. 

Shakespeare's Julius Csesar, Rolfe, Poet-Lore, 
Vol. VI., pp. 7-13. 



THE 
MEEOHAI^T OF YENIOE 



THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 

. The Source of the Plot. 

Wheu Shakespeare wrote The Merchant of 
Venice there were in existence three siories and 
two ballads, which, more or less, resemble that 
play, and which Shakespeare probably used in 
the composition thereof. One of the stories was 
The Adventures of Giannetto. Giannetto was 
the prototype of Bassanio. Another was Of a 
Jew, who would for his debt have a pound of the 
flesh of a Christian. The third was The Story 
of the Choice of Three Caskets. The two ballads 
were The Northern Lord, and A iieiD Song, 
shewing the crueltie of Gernutus, a Jew who, lend- 
ing to a merchant an hundred crowns, would have 
a pound of his fleshe, because he could not pay 
him at the time appointed. 

The stories, both in the original and in trans- 
lation, also the ballads, are in Hazlitt's " Shake- 
speare's Library," Part I., Yol. L, pp. 319-380. 

There was also a play, which Stephen Gosson, 
in TJie Sclioole of Abuse, 1 579, describes as : The 
lew and Ptolome, showne at the Bull, the one rep- 
resenting the greedinesse of worldly cJiusei'S, and 
bloody mindes of Usurers : The other very lively 



154 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

describing Jiowe seditious estates, with their owne 
devises, false friendes, with their oicn swoords, & 
rebellious commons in their owne snares are over- 
throwne : neither w* amorous gesture icounding the 
eye : nor with slouenly talke hurting the eares ofy^ 
chast hearers. As this play was on the boards 
of the London theatres at the time Shakespeare 
wrote The Merchant of Venice, it is likely he de- 
rived from it some hints for his play. 

An analysis of the three stories reveals the 
fact that the following characters and incidents 
in The Merchant of Venice were invented by 
Shakespeare. 

Characters. — The Princes of Morocco and of 
Arragon.Gratiano, Lorenzo, Tubal, Old Gobbo, 
Launcelot Gobbo, Salerio, Leonardo, Jessica. 
Of the other characters, the skeletons are found 
in the stories. Shakespeare puts flesh upon them, 
breathes into them the breath of life, creates 
them, and thus makes them the living men and 
women of his play. 

Incidents. — Those in Act I, are based on the 
stories. In Act IL all are original with Shake- 
speare. Those in Act III, Sc. 1, are Shake- 
speare's invention. Sc. 2 of the same Act is 
. suggested by the story, but with this marked 
difference : In The Story of the Choice of Three 
Caskets the bride chooses ; in the play Bassanio 
chooses. Scs. 3 and 4 of this Act are like tlie 
stories. Sc. 5 is Shakespeare's invention. In 
Act IV. Shakespeare follows the stories. Act V. 
is wholly original with Shakespeare. 



THE MERCHAKT OP VEKICE. 155 

Those who will read these stories and then 
the play, in the light of this analysis, will per- 
ceive the manifestation of Shakespeare's genius 
in what he accepts, what he rejects of them, as 
well as in what he invents, 

II. Explanatory Notes. 

ACT I. 

Scene 1. 

The opening lines strike the key-note of the play. 
Antonio's sadness foreshadows the tragic which per- 
meates it. " In the same way unusual exaltation of 
spirits is popularly supposed to forbode misfortune 
or death. Thus in Romeo and Juliet, V. 1. 3, Romeo 
says : My bosom's lord sits lightly in his throne.'* 
C. and W.* 

In sooth. In truth. 

Argosies. Merchant vessels. Sometimes it meant 
war vessels, " Of great size for that day, though 
not exceeding two hundred tons," Rolfe. 

Pageants. Shakespeare refers to the castles, ships, 
dragons that were drawn about the streets in the 
pageants and shows of his day. 

Venture. That which is risked by a merchant. 

Hour-glass. This was in constant use in Shake- 
speare's day. 

My wealthy Andrew. My ship carrying a valuable 
cargo. 

Vailing. Lowering. Cf. Pericles, I. 3, 42. 



* Reference is to Clarke and Wright, editors of the Clarendon 
Press edition of this play. 



156 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Now worth this. Meaning is obscure. Shakespeare 
probably meant the actor to express it by a gesture. 

Not in love neither. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 406. 

Two-headed Janus. God of the rising and setting 
sun. He had two faces, one looking to the east, the 
other to the west. 

Nestor. The oldest councillor of the Greeks be- 
fore Troy. Cf. Love's Labour's Lost, IV. 3. 169. 

Salarino's reference to sad and merry is to fore- 
shadow the union of the comic with the tragic in 
this play. 

Prevented. Anticipated. 

Exceeding strange. You have become quite a 
stranger. Cf. Comedy of Errors, II. 2. 151. 

Too much respect. Too much regard, consideration. 

Play the fool. Not be foolish, but assume the part 
of the fool or jester, as in the old comedies. 

My Jieart cool. Reference is to the old belief that 
sighs and groans drained the blood from the heart. 
Cf. Mid. Nighfs Bream, III. 2. 97 ; //. Henry VL, 
III. 2. 60-63. 

Entertain. Maintain. 

Would almost damn, seq. " Means that the hearers 
could hardly help calling them fools, and thus ex- 
pose themselves to the judgment threatened in 
Scripture (Matt. V. 22)." Rolfe. 

Fool -gudgeon. A foolish fish. 
' Gear. Matter, subject. 
. Disabled. Damaged, embarrassed. Cf. II. 7. 30. 

Swelling port. Ostentatious style of living. 

Make moan to be abridged. Mourn that I cannot 
continue this style of living. 



THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 157 

Gaged. Pledged. 

Within the eye of honour. Within the scope of 
that which can be viewed as honourable. 

Childhood proof. Childish test. 

Circumstance. Circumlocution. 

Making questions, seq. "In doubting my readi- 
ness to do my utmost in your service." C. and W. 

Prest. Ready. 

Sometimes. Formerly. 

From her eyes, seq. Cf. Sonnet XXIII. 

Colchos' strand. Allusion is to the expedition of 
the Argonauts. Cf. III. 3. 243. 

Thrift. Success, 

Neither have I money, seq. This is inconsistent 
with Antonio's previous statement, lines 41-45. 

Presently. Instantly. 

To have it of my trust, seq. Loaned to me on my 
credit, or as an act of personal friendship. 

Scene 2. 

Portia's opening words, like Antonio's, foreshadow 
the tragic in the play. 

Aweary. Cf. Julius Ccesar, IV. 3. 9.> : also 
" English of Shakespeare," Craik, p. 339. 

TJiis reasoning, seq. This conversation. 

The word choose. Choose occurs in this scene ten 
times, and the cognate word chosen once. Every 
time it is repeated it points to the three caskets, on 
which are three inscriptions, each beginning Who 
chooseth. 

But one who you. Wio is here used for whom, as 



158 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

frequently in Shakespeare. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, 
§274. 

Level. Guess. 

Comity. Count. 

An you will not, seq. If you will not, seq. 

Weeping pliiloso'plier . Heraclitus. 

I had rather, seq. ''Had rather and had better 
are good English, though many writers of grammars 
tell us we should say tcould rather, etc., instead." 
Rolfe. 

A proper man. Handsome man. Cf. Mid. Night's 
Dream, I. 2. 88. 

Suited. Dressed, 

Bonnet. A man's head-dress. 

Frenchman became his surety, seq. " Alluding to 
the constant assistance, or rather constant promise 
of assistance, that the French gave the Scots in their 
quarrels with the English." Warburton. 

The contrary casket. The wrong casket. Qi. King 
John, IV. 2. 197, 198. 

Sibylla. The famous sibyl of Cuma3 in Italy. 
Cf. Milman, "History of Christianity," II., pp. 121, 
122. 

/ wish them, seq. The quarto editions of this 
play read I pray God grant. The folios have 
changed the reading to I loish. The cause of this 
was the statute of James, " to restrain the abuses of 
players." Cf. my Introduction to Much Ado About 
Nothing, Bankside Edition, Vol. VI. p. 6. 

Condition. Disposition, nature. 

Whiles. For Shakespeare's use of Whiles, WliiUt 
cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 137. 



THE MERCHAITT OF VElflCE. 159 

Scene 3. 

Ducats. Coryat saj^s the Venetian ducat was worth 
4s. 8d. Rolfe says it was about equal in value to 
an American dollar. 

May you stead me f Can you assist me ? Cf . Romeo 
and Juliet, II. 3. 54. 

A good man. A man financially responsible, 
worthy of credit. 

Supposition. Doubtful. 

Squandered abroad. Scattered in various places. 

Rialto. ' ' The chief of tlie islands on which Venice 
is built was called Isola di Rialto {rivo alto), the 
island of the Deep Stream. The name Rialto came 
also to be applied to the Exchange, which was on 
that island." Rolfe. 

Shylock here means the Exchange. 

How like a fawning publican, seq. This is a cj^ux. 
Antonio was not a publican, much less a, fawning one. 
Professor Moulton suggests a solution of the diffi- 
cult}^ can be reached by "assigning this single line 
to Antonio, reserving of course the rest of the speech 
for Shylock, seq." "Shakespeare as a Dramatic 
Artist," pp. 61, 62. C. and W. explain it: "The 
Publicani, or farmers of taxes under the Roman 
government, were much more likely to treat the Jews 
with insolence than with servility. Shakespeare, 
perhaps, only remembered that in the gospels ' publi- 
cans and sinners ' are mentioned together as objects 
of the hatred and contempt of the Jews." 

I think the explanation is this : Shylock's feelings 
toward Antonio were those of intense hatred. When 



160 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

he saw Antonio approaching he simply gave expres- 
sion to that hatred in an aside, the words of which 
were ill chosen and inapplicable to Antonio, but 
malignant. 

For. Because. 

Usance. Interest. The Jews in Venice, at this 
time, charged interest at the rate of fifteen per cent. 

Upon the hip. Cf. Notes on Othello, II. 1. 314. 

The discussion between Antonio and Shylock on 
the subject of inten^st can only be understood when 
it is remembered that in ancient and mediaeval times 
interest meant the product of natural growth, say, 
of sheep or cattle ; hence, Antonio's phrase a breed of 
barren metal. It was considered both unfriendly 
and immoral to take money for interest. For the 
opinion on this subject among the Jews, cf. Ex. 
xxii. 25 ; Lev. xxv, 35, 36 ; Deut. xxiii. 19 ; Ps. xv. 
5. Our Lord, Matt. xxv. 14-30, speaks of usury, 
but does not express any opinion on this subject. 

The Greeks held the same opinion as the Jews. 
Cf. Aristotle, "Politics," Book I., chap. x. ; Grote's 
" History of Greece," Vol. III., p. 144. 

So did the Romans. Cf. "Dictionary of Greek 
and Roman Antiquities," p. 545. 

For the opinion on this subject current in England 
in Shakespeare's day, cf. Bacon's essay " Of 
Usury." 

This fact makes reasonable and natural Shylock's 
apparently harmless, really cruel suggestion, that 
the forfeit be a pound of flesh. 

Possessed. Fully informed. 

Were compromised. Had mutually agreed. 



THE MERCHANT OF YEKICE. 161 

Eanlings. Lambs j ust boru. 

PilVd me. ' ' Peeled. ' ' Rolf e. 

Sufferance is the ladge, seq. "The sufferauce, 
which is the badge of the Jew, hath made him, in 
these days, the ruler of the rulers of the earth." 
Emerson, essay on ' ' Fate." 

Doit. A small coin worth half a farthing. 

Your single bond. A bond without sureties, signed 
only with one name. Cf. Furness's edition of this 
play, in loco. 

Dealings teaches. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 333. 

Fearful. Untrustworthy. 

Knave. Boy. 

ACT II. 

Scene 1. 

Reddest. Shakespeare frequently used the super- 
lative degree where comparison was between only 
two objects. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 10. He also 
uses the comparative degree, as in lines 33, 34, 37 
below. 

Fear'd. Affrighted. Cf. Measure for Measure, 
II. 1. 2. 

Nice. Capricious, fastidious. 

Scanted. Limited. 

Wit. "In its original ^en^e of foresight, wisdom 
(Anglo-Saxon m^, mind)." Rolfe. 

Fair. Reference is to the Moor's complexion. 

The Sophy. Cf. Notes on Twelfth Night, II. 5. 

Sultan Solyman. Shakespeare ' ' probably refers 
to the unfortunate campaign which Solyman, the 



162 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAEE. 

Magnificent, undertook against the Persians in 1535." 
C. and W. 

Lichas. Tlie servant who brought to Hercules 
from Dejanira the blood-steeped shirt of Nessus. 
Nessus told her she could win the love of any one 
wearing it. It burned Hercules to death. Dejanira 
thereupon, from grief, committed suicide. 

Alcides. Hercules. 

Wrong. Adverb used as adjective. This is fre- 
quent in Shakespeare. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 1. 

Blest. Used instead of Uessed'st. 

Scene 2. 

Launcelot is a clown. The First Folio stage 
direction is Enter the Clowne alone. He speaks with 
the license of a clown. What he sa3^s must not be 
interpreted literally. 

Via ! Italian for aicay ! 

God bless the mark. "A parenthetic apology for 
some profane or vulgar word." C. and W. 

Incarnation. The Clown's mistake for incarnate. 

Old Gobbo manifests in his talk the incoherency 
and irrelevancy of an old man. 

Sonties. Probably a corruption of saints or 
sanctities. 

Father. It was customary among the humbler 
classes to address old persons as Father. On that 
account Gobbo does not recognize Launcelot as his 
son. 

'^hat a heard, seq. "Stage-tradition, not improb- 
ably from the time of Shakespeare himself, makes 
Launcelot, at this point, kneel with his back to the 



THE MERCHANT OF yE]S"ICE. 163 

sand-blind old father, who, of course, mistakes his 
long, black hair for a beard, of which his face is 
perfectly innocent.'' Staunton. 

Set up my rest, seq. ' ' A metaphor from the once 
fashionable and favorite game of primero ; meaning, 
to stand upon the cards you have in your hand, in 
hopes they may prove better than those of your 
adversary. Hence, to make up your mind, to be 
determined." Nares' Glossary. Cf. Romeo and 
Juliet, IV. 5. 6. 

As far as God has any ground. Venice was built 
on islands. Ground was scarce. The lower order, 
therefore, had a longing for the mainland. That 
wish is here expressed by Launcelot. 

Anon. At once. 

Gramercy. Grand merci. French. Great thanks. 

Cater-cousins. Origin of this phrase is unknown. 
Meaning is, they are at odds, do not get along 
amicabl3\ 

Frutify. Notify, certify. 

Preferred. Recommended. Preferment. Advance- 
ment. This is one of Shakespeare's plays upon 
words. 

Guarded. Trimmed. 

Fairer table, seq. Launcelot here refers to the 
palm of his hand, on which, according to palmistry, 
then and now, are lines signifying future events in a 
man's life— e.g., line of life, etc. 

Liberal. Free, uncontrolled. 

Civilty. Refinement, courteous behavior. 

Well studied in a sad ostent. Like one who as- 
sumes a sober and grave mien and deportment. 



164 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAEE. 

Scene 3. 
Exldhit. Launcelot's mistake for inhibit. 

Scene 4. 

" Gratiano and his friends are conlriving a masque 
as a farewell entertainment to Bassanio. So Henry 
VIII. and others disguised themselves as shepherds, 
and appeared at Cardinal Wolsey's feast. Henry 
YIIL 1.4." (). and W. 

Spoke us yet, seq. Have not spoken of, arranged 
for torch-hearers. 

'Tis vile . . quaintly, seq. The affair will be a 
failure unless the plans are carefully and elegantly 
carried out. 

Break uj). Break open the letter. 

Scene 5. 

What, why. Cf. Notes on Julius Ccesar, II. 1. 

Did dream, seq. " Some say that to dreame of 
money, and all kinde of coyne is ill." " The Judge- 
ment or Exposition of Dreames." Artemidorus, 
p. 99, ed. of 1606. 

To-night. Last night, 

Reproach. Launcelot's mistake for approach. 

Black Monday. Reference is to Easter Monday, 
April 14, 1360, when Edward III. and his army 
were encamped before Paris. Owing to the extreme 
cold, many of the soldiers died. 

Varnis'd faces. Painted, and, consequently, dis- 
guised faces. " Shylock alludes to Christian du- 
plicity." C. and W, 



THE MERCHAN^T OF VENICE. 165 

Jacob's staff. Cf. Gen. xxxii. 10 and Heb. xi. 21. 

Worth a Jewess' eye. Reference is to the large 
ransoms extorted from Jews ia the Middle Ages. 

Patch. Fool, jester. Name derived from the 
patched or various-colored suit worn hy Ihem. 

Borroio'd purse. Shylock refers to the loan which 
he has made to Antonio for the account of Bassanio. 

Perhaps I will. Abbott, Grammar, § 319, denies 
Shakespeare uses icill for shall. C. and W. dissent 
from this opinion, and give this sentence as an ex- 
ample that he does. 

Scene 6. 

Pent-house. A shed extending out from the main 
building. Cf. Much Ado, etc., III. 3. 110. Used of 
the eyelid. Macbeth, I. 3. 20. 

Venus' pigeons. Venus' chariot was drawn by 
doves. Cf. Tempest, IV. 1. 94. 

Obliged faith. Contracted, pledged faith. 

Scarfed. Decked with flags. 

Over-iceathefd. Injured by the stormy weather. 

Abode. Tarrying, delay. 

Who are you ? Who used for lohom. Cf . Abbott, 
Grammar, § 274. 

Exchange. I.e., of dress. 

Too-too light. A play upon the words candle and 
light. As also upon the word obscufd. Jessica 
means she should be concealed on account of Iier 
male attire. Lorenzo says she is in the lovely garnish 
of a boy. 

Close night, seq. Secret night is running rapidly 
away. 



166 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

My hood. Possibly a part of his dress as a masquer. 
Beshrew me. Curse me. " Shreicd and curst were 
synonymous in Shakespeare's day." C. and W. 

Scene 7. 

Discover. Reveal. 

Who this inscription. On the interchangeable use 
of loho and which, of. Abbott, Grammar, §§ 265-266. 

Be'st rated. Be judged according to thy own esti- 
mate of thyself. 

Hyrcanian deserts. A district south of the Caspian 
Sea. Shakespeare mentions the tigers of Ilyrcania 
in in. Henry VI. , I. 4. 155 ; Macbeth, III. 4. 101 ; 
Hamlet, II. 3. 472. 

Cerecloth. A cloth covered with melted wax in 
which the dead were wrapped . 

Ten times undervalued. "In the beginning of 
Elizabeth's reign gold was to silver in the proportion 
of 11 to 1 ; in the forty-third year of her reign (i.e., 
1600, the year this play was printed) it was in the 
proportion of 10 to 1. At present it is 15 to 1." C. 
and W. 

An angel. Figure of Michael piercing the dragon. 
The coin was worth ten shillings. 

Inscul^fd. Engraven. 

Carrion death. A fleshless skull. 

Siiiit is cold. Unsuccessful. Cf. Two Gentlemen 
of Verona, IV. 4. 186. 

Scene 8. 
Mais' d. Aroused, as in Othello, I. 1. 183. 
A passion. An outcry full of feeling, intense 
emotion. 



THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 167 

Reasoned. Conversed. 

You were best. Cf. V. 1. 177 ; also Lear, I. 4. 109 ; 
OtMlo, Y. 2. 161. 

Slubber. To do carelessly, hurriedly. Sometimes 
it means to sully, as in Othello, I. 3. 227. 

Sensible. Sensitive. 

Quicken, seq. Cheer, refresh the lieaviness, de- 
spondency, which has taken possession of him. 

Scene 9. 

Straight. Immediately, directly. 

Addressed me. Prepared myself. 

That many may be meant, seq. That many may 
refer to, seq. 

Fond. Foolish. Cf. III. 3. 9. 

The martlet. Cf. Macbeth, I. 6. 4. 

Jum.}') with, i^gree with. 

that estates, seq. Cf. III. 2. 73, seq. 

Should cover. Shoidd wear their hats as being 
equals, instead of uncovering as inferiors to 
superiors. 

Take ichat wife, seq. Whether you marry or not, 
seq. 

What would my lord ? Portia is delighted with the 
failure of Arragon, and jestingly addresses her ser- 
vant. 

Sensible regreets. Substantial greetings— i.e., gifts 
of rich value. 

Bassanio, lord Love. " May it be Bassanio, O Cu- 
pid ! " Rolfe. 



168 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 



ACT III. 

Lives there unchecked. The rumor is uncontra- 
dicted. 

The narrow seas. The English Channel. 

The Goodwins. "The Goodwin Sands, off the 
Eastern coast of Kent. The name is supposed to be 
derived from Earl Godwin, whose property, ac- 
cording to tradition, was swallow^ed up by the sea, 
A.D. 1100." C. and W. Cf. King John,\. 3. 11 ; 
V. 5. 13. 

Knapped. Broke into small pieces. 

The icings she flew icithal. The dress of a boy in 
which she disguised herself. 

Complexion. Disposition, nature. 

Match. Bargain. 

Smug. Neat. 

Affections, passions. ' ' Affections, when contrasted 
with passions, seem to denote emotions produced 
through the s€«ises by external objects. Cf. IV. 1. 
49." C. and W. 

Merchandize. Trade, commerce. 

Scene 2. 

Overlook' d. Fascinated, bewitched. 

Prove it so. Let Fortune, seq. " If it prove that 
I, who am yours by affection, am not yours owing 
to your unlucky choice of casket, Fortune ought to 
suffer the penahy, not I ; and yet to lose you would 
be hell to me ! This passage is an instance of that 
condensation of thought which so frequently makes 
Shakespeare's language obscure." C. and W. 



THE MERCHANT OF YE:N^ICE. 169 

Peize. Delay, to weigh with deliberation. 

The rack. The rack was still used in England at 
this time. Shakespeare recognizes its futility ; 
where men enforced do speak anything. Cf . * ' New 
Illustrations," etc., Hunter, Vol. I., pp. 326, 327; 
"History of England," Lingard. Vol. V., pp. 405, 
558. 

Swan-like end. Cf . Othello, V. 2. 247 ; King John, 
V. 7. 21. 

Alcides. Hercules. Reference is to Hesione, who 
was offered by Laomedon, King of Troy, to Nep- 
tune. She was rescued by Hercules. Hercules did 
not do this for love, but for the sake of the horses 
promised him by Laomedon. Hence Portia's words, 
with much more love, seq. 

Dardanian. Trojan. 

Fancy. Love. Cf. Twelfth Night, I. 1. 9, seq. ; 
Much Ado About Nothing, IH. 2. 31. 

Still, Constantly. 

Gracious. Pleasing. 

Livers white as milk. Red blood was considered a 
badge of courage. Cf. II. 1. 6, 7. Blood of any 
other color was evidence of cowardice. Cf. Lear, 
IV. 2. 50 ; //. Henry IV., IV. 3. 113. 

Guiled. Treacherous. 

An Indian beauty. This passage has never been 
satisfactorily explained. 

Midas. The god Dionysus granted Midas' re- 
quest that whatever he touched might be turned to 
gold. When he found that even his food was turned 
to gold, he prayed that the gift might be taken 
from him. This prayer was granted. 



170 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAKE. 

Continent. That which contains. 

/ come by note. "I come according to written 
warrant (the scroll just read) to give a kiss and re- 
ceive the lady." C. and W. 

To term in gross. To give a general description of. 

Ring. Cf. Twelfth Night, V. 1. 159-163 ; Romeo 
and Juliet, III. 2. 142. There are numerous refer- 
ences to rings in the other plays. 

For intermission. Delay. The meaning seems to 
be, nothing remained for me to do during the inter- 
mission but to follow your example, You lov'd, I 
lovd. 

Jasons. Cf. I. 1. 172. 

S.'irewd. Evil. Cf. King John, V. 5. 14 ; Henry 
VIII. , V. 3. 178. 

Steals. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, §§ 333-338. 

Constant. Self-possessed. 

Engaged. Pledged. 

Envious. Malicious. 

Deface. Cancel. 

Bo?id . . is forfeit. Forfeited. Cf. Measure for 
Measure, II. 2. 73. 

Between you and I. On Shakespeare's use of J for 
me, and me for /, cf. Abbott, Grammar, §§ 209, 210. 

Scene 3. 

2o come abroad. To come out-of-doors. 

Dull-eyed. Stupid, lacking perception. 

Impenetrable. Relentless. 

Kept. Dwelt. 

Made moan. Complained. Cf. I. 1. 26. 

Bated. Reduced. 



THE MERCHANT OP VEKICE. 171 

Scene 4. 

Prouder of the work. You would be prouder of 
the work than 3'ou are of ordinary acts of kindness. 
Nor shall mt. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 406. 
Hushandi-y. Stewardship. Cf. Timon of Athens, 

II. 2. 164 ; namlet, I. 3. 77. 

Manage. Management. Cf. Romeo and Juliet, 

III. 1. 148. 

The which. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 270. 

Imagined speed. Speed which is as quick as 
thought, 

Tranect. " There are in Venice thirteen ferries or 
passages, which they commonly call Traghetti." 
" Crudities," Coryat. 

Convenient. Suitable. 

Speak between, seq. In a shrill voice, as boys who 
are passing into manhood, 

I could not do withal. I could not help so acting. 

Jacks. A term of contempt. Cf. Much Ado, etc., 
I. 1. 186; V. 1. 91. 

All my whole device. A pleonasm. Cf. I. Henry 
VI., I. 1.126. 

Scene 5. 

I fear you. Fear for you. Am concerned about 
you. Cf. Pleasure for Measure, III. 1. 74 ; Kichard 
III., I. 1. 137. 

Cover. Note the play on cover. Launcelot uses it 
iu one sense, Lorenzo in another. 

Quarrelling with occasion. Quibbling. 

Discretion. Ability to discriminate, which, while 
Launcelot doubtless possessed, he did not manifest. 



172 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Tricksy word. Making a tricky use of words. 
ril set you forth. I'll describe you fully. 

ACT IV. 

What. " An exclamation calling attention." C. 
and W. Used so in lines 46, 110. 

Uncapable. Un was frequently used for in. Also 
in for un. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 443. 

Qualify. Check, modify. 

Bemorse. Pity. Cf. Macbeth, I. 5. 45. 

Loose. Release. 

Moiety. Sometimes a half, sometimes a portion. 

Enow. Enough. 

Gentle. Pun on Gentile. 

Baned. Poisoned. 

Firm. Satisfactory. 

Current. The unimpeded and continuous flow. 

Offence. " The resentment of the injured party as 
well as the injury itself, as in the phrases ' to give 
offence,' 'to take offence.'" C and W. 

With all brief a.nd plain conveniency. ' ' With such 
brevity and directness as befits the administration of 
justice." C. and W. 

Let tne have judgment. Let judgment be pro- 
nounced against me. 

Three thousand . . is, seq. Cf. Abbott, Gram- 
mar, §§ 333-336. 

8ole . . soul. Play upon words. 

Pythagoras. Cf. Notes, Ttcelfth Night, IV. 2. 

Wolf loho hang\l. Birds of prey were hung on 
gallows in England in Shakespeare's day. Cf. 



THE MERCHA^^T OF VENICE. 173 

Sbakespeariana, August, 1888, pp. 355, 356, for a note 
on this subject by Furness. Idem. November, 1888, 
pp. 513-515. 

No impediment to let him lack. ' ' No hindrance to 
his receiving. " C. and W. 

The difference, seq. The question at issue between 
Antonio and Shylock. 

Ihroughly. Thoroughly. 

In such rule. In such order, so formal, lawful. 

Spoke. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 343. 

Wrest once the law, seq. Make the law yield to 
your authority. 

Hath full relation. The law applies to this case. 

More elder. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 11. 

With all my Jieart. Shakespeare by means of this 
joke evokes pathos. Cf. King John, Y. 7, for a 
similar example. 

Which. Who. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, § 265. 

Confiscate. Confiscated. 

Which humble?iess may drive unto a fine. Which, 
penitence and humility on your part, may lead me 
to modify into a fine. 

To quit the fine, seq. To remit the fine. 

In use. In trust. 

Possessed. Possessed of. 

Serves you not. That you cannot command your 
leisure. 

Cope. Requite. 

Of force. Of necessity. 

Scene 2. 
Advice. Reflection, consideration. 



Hi HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Old. An intensive epithet common in tliat day. 
Cf. IV. 1. 170 ; IV. 2. 11. Also, Much Ado, etc., V. 
2. 98 ; Merry Wives of Windsor, I. 4. 5. 

ACT V. 

TJie moon shines bright. "This calm and quiet 
scene, with its moonlight and music and lovers' 
talk, is a charming contrast to the crowd and pomp 
and high-wrought, almost tragic, interest of the for- 
mer Act." C. and W. 

Bright. On use of adjectives as adverbs, cf. 
Abbott, Grammar, § 1. 

Troilus. A son of Priam. Shakespeare borrowed 
this allusion from Chaucer's "Troilus and Cres- 
seide." Cf. Shakespeare's Troilus and Crcssida. 

Thishe. Reference is to the story of Pyramus 
and Thisbe. Shakespeare makes use of it in Mid- 
summer -NighV s Dream. 

Willow. Frequently used by Shakespeare as a 
symbol of forsaken love. Much Ado, II. 1 ; Othello, 
IV. 3. 

Medea. Daughter of .^etes, king of the Colchians, 
and wife of Jason. She forsook her father for her 
husband, as did Jessica. Hence Lorenzo's allusion. 

Nor we ham not. Cf. III. 4. 11. Also this scene, 
line 84. 

Patines. The plate used in the Eucharist. 

There's not the smallest orb, seq. Reference to 
the music of the spheres is made by Shakespeare in 
Ant. and Cleo., V. 2. 84 ; Pericles, V. 1. 231 ; Twelfth 
Night, III. 1. 121. 



^HE MERCHANT OF VEXICE. 175 

Diana. Goddess of the moon. 

OrpJiem. Cf. Henry VIIL, III. 1. 3. "There is 
a dramatic purpose wortliy of notice in the words 
wliicli Portia utters when she first appears upon the 
scene. . . It was meant to connect the present witli 
the past ; the defeated attempt of Shylock on the 
life of Antonio with the scene at Belmont ; and the 
spectators are thus led to look upon Portia returning 
to the house in which the scene of the caskets has 
been presented crowned with the honors of the good 
deed, seq." Hunter, " New Illustrations of Shake- 
speare," Vol. I., p. 320. 

Without respect. Unless it is considered with re- 
gard to surrounding circumstances. 

Endymion. A shepherd loved by Diana. The 
legend is interpreted in " Chips from a German 
Workshop," Max Miiller, Vol. II., pp. 78-84. 

Tucket. "A particular set of notes played on a 
trumpet." C. and W. 

Light. Note the play on the word light. Also in 
II. 6. 42 ; III. 2. 91. 

Ood sort all. God dispose all. 

Breathing courtesy. Scant, cut short, this courtesy 
which consists only of words, so as to manifest it 
in deeds. 

Respective. Regardful. 

The virtue of the ring. The power of the ring, 
Cf. III. 2. 172. 

A ceremony. Something consecrated, sacred. 

Civil doctor. Doctor of civil law. 

Candles of the night. Cf. Romeo and Juliet, III. 
5.9. 



176 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Advisedly. Deliberately. 

Charge us there upon inter' gatories. " In the 
Court of Queen's Bench, when a complaint is made 
against a person for a 'contempt,' the practice is 
that before sentence is finally pronounced he is sent 
into the Crown Office, and being there ' charged 
upon interrogatories,' he is made to swear that he 
will 'answer all things faithfully.'" "Shake- 
speare's Legal Acquirements," Lord Campbell. 

Fear. Be anxious about. 

Sore. Grievously. 

IIL Table of Acts and Scenes in which each 
character appears. Also, number of lines 
spoken by each character. Also, group- 
ing of minor characters, to be read in a 

reading club by one person. 
No. of 
Lines. 

364 Shylock, I, 3 ; II, 5 ; III, 1, 3 ; IV, 1. 
341 Bassanio, I, 1, 3 ; II, 2 : III, 2 ; IV, 1 ; V, 1. 
188 Antonio, I, 1, 3 ; II, 6 ; III, 3 ; IV. 1 ; V. 1. 
188 Launcelot, II, 2. 3, 4, 5 : IH, 5 ; V, 1. 
181 Lorenzo, I, 1 ; II, 4, 6 ; III, 2, 4, 5; V, 1. 
178 Gratiano, I, 1 ; II, 2, 4, 6 ; III, 2 ; IV, 1, 2 ; V, 1. 

109 Salarino, I, 1 ; II, 4, 6, 8 ; III, 1, 3. 
103 Morocco, II, 1, 7. 

66 Arragon, II, 9. 

59 Salanio, I, 1 ; II, 4, 8 ; III, 1. 

57 Duke, IV, 1. 

41 OMGobbo, II, 2. 

24 Salerio, III, 2 ; IV. 1. 

18 Servant, 1.2; 11,9; III, 1. 

16 Tubal, III, 1. 

9 Musician, III, 2. 

8 Stephano, V, 1. 

2 Leonardo, II, 2. 

1 Balthasar, III, 4. 

1 All, III, 2. 

589 Portia, I, 2" : II. 1, 7, 9 : III, 2, 4 ; IV, 1, 2 ; V, 1. 

110 Nerissa, I, 2 ; II, 9 ; III, 2, 4 ; IV, 1, 2 ; V, 1. 
89 Jessica, II, 3, 5, 6 ; III, 2, 4, 5 ; V, 1. 



THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 177 



Morocco. I 

Arragon. ) 

Salanio. | 

Duke. f 

Old Gobbo 

Tubal, 

Musician. 

Salerio. 

Servant. 

Leonardo, 

Balthasar. 

Stephano. 

All. 

IV. Questions. 



ACT I. 



1. What play, stories, ballads is it likely Shake- 
speare used in the composition of this play ? 

2. Wherein does the play agree with, wherein dif- 
fer from them ? 

3. Where does the action of this play take place ? 

4. Is the play as to manners, usages, thoughts, 
feelings, in harmony with the environment ? 

5. What is Antonio's emotional condition at the 
beginning of the play ? 

6. What is the dramatic function of the opening 
lines ? 

7. To what causes do Salanio and Salarino assign 
Antonio's sadness ? 

8. Was Antonio's sadness a mood, or was it con- 
stitutional, or the result of circumstances, or caused 
by foreboding ? 

Ans. It was the latter. It was similar to that of 
the Queen of Richard II. Cf. Richard II., II. 2. 9, 
seq. 

9. What were argosies f 



178 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

10. Wliat is the dramatic purpose of Salarino's re- 
marks on sad and merry f 

11. What are the first words Bassanio utters ? 

12. What is their dramatic purpose ? 

Ans. To contrast with the first words of Antonio. 

13. What reference does Gratiano make to Sir 
Oracle f 

14. What opinion of melancholy men does Gra- 
tiano express ? 

15. What description of Gratiano does Bassanio 
give ? 

16. What is the first reference to the heroine of 
the play ? 

17. What is the dramatic purpose of Antonio's re- 
quest to Bassanio, Well, tell me now, seq. ? 

Ans. To enable Bassanio to describe to him, and 
through him to the spectators of the drama, Portia, 
his love for her, his desire to woo her. 

18. What does Bassanio tell Antonio of his pecu- 
niary embarrassments ? 

19. What is Bassanio's description of Portia ? 

20. To whom does he compare her ? 

21. What was Colclios' strand? 

22. Who were the Jasons ? 

23. What reply does Antonio make to Bassanio's 
request ? 

24. What is Portia's first remark ? 

25. How does it compare with that of Antonio ? 

26. Does it accomplish the same dramatic purpose ? 

27. What does Nerissa say about moderation ? 

28. What information does this give us of Portia's 
position in life ? 



THE MEKCHANT OF YEITICE. 179 

29. What opinion does Portia express about pre- 
cept and practice ? 

30. How often in this Scene does the word choose 
occur ? 

31. What is the dramatic significance of this repeti- 
tion ? 

32. What information do Portia and Nerissa give 
of the icill of Portia's father ? 

33. How many suitors does Portia describe ? 

34. How many does the Serving-man say, seek you, 
madam, to take their leave ? 

35. How can we account for the discrepancy be- 
tween the two statements ? 

Ans. It is simply one of Shakespeare's slight mis- 
takes. 

36. What didBassanio say about the popularity of 
Portia ? 

Ans. I. 1. 167, seq. 

37. What is Portia's description of her suitors ? 

38. Who were Sibylla and Diana f 

39. What do Nerissa and Portia say of Bassanio ? 

40. What is the dramatic significance of these re- 
marks ? 

Ans. They point to Bassanio as the successful sui- 
tor and future husband of Portia. 

41. At the close of this Scene whose coming is an- 
nounced ? 

42. AVhat is the dramatic purpose of Portia's re- 
mark as to the complexion of the next suitor ? 

Ans. To prepare for the entrance of Morocco, 
whose color was tawny. Also, for his reflections 
thereon. 



180 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

43. Wliut traits of the characters of Portia and 
Nerissa has this opening conversation revealed ? 

44. Upon what subject does Shylock first speak ? 
4'). What is the dramatic effect of this ? 

Ans. Shakespeare by a single stroke reveals the 
c.u-dinal trait of Shylock. 

46. What is the value in our money of a ducat ? 

47. For what length of time does Bassanio want 
the loan ? 

48. What is the meaning of stead me ? 

49. What does Shylock mean by describing An- 
tonio as a good man ? 

50. What does he say of Antonio's means ? 

51. What reply does Shylock make to Bassanio's 
invitation to dinner ? 

53. What is Shylock's feeling toward Antonio ? 

53. What reasons does he give for that feeling ? 

54. What does he say about revenge and forgive- 
ness ? 

55. To what friend does Shylock refer, and in 
what connection ? 

56. What docs Antonio say is his practice on the 
subject of interest ? 

Ans. Albeit I neither lend nor borrow, seq. 

57. What does Shylock say on the same subject ? 
Ans. No, not take interest, seq. 

58. What does Antonio mean by his comment, 
Was this inserted to make interest good, seq . ? 

59. What w^as the opinion that was held on the 
subject of interest by the Jews under the Old Dis- 
pensation ; by the Greeks and Romans ; by the na- 
tions of Europe up to the time of Shakespeare '/ 



THE MERCHANT OF VE:N^ICE. 181 

60. What does Antonio say to Bassanio about 
Shylock's citation of Scripture ? 

61. What description does Shy lock give of An- 
tonio's treatment of him ? 

63. Does this describe with historical accuracy the 
treatment to which the Jews were subjected at that 
time all over Europe ? 

63. Does xlntonio frankly spurn Shylock's offer of 
the loan on the basis of friendship ? 

64. What offer does Shylock make to Antonio ? 

65. What is a single bond? 

66. Has the discussion as to the nature of interest 
made reasonable Shylock's suggestion that the for- 
feit be an equal pound of your fair flesh, seq. ? 

67. Was that Shakespeare's purpose in introduc- 
ing that discussion ? 

Ans. Yes. 

68. Does Bassanio foresee danger in the penalty ? 

69. What does Antonio say to allay Bassanio's 
fears ? 

70. What reflections does Shylock make on the 
suspicions of Bassanio and Antonio ? 

71. Is Antonio finally deceived as to Shylock's 
motives in making the loan ? 

72. Are the suspicions of Bassanio fully allayed ? 

73. What is the dramatic significance of his re- 
mark, Hike not fair terms, seq. ? 

Ans. It foreshadows the suffering which results 
from the bond. 

74. In Sc. 3 Shakespeare presents a group of 
three of the principal men in the play. The inter- 
view develops active thought, intense feeling. 



182 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEA.RE. 

Under these circumstances what traits of character 
do they manifest ? 

75. Each one of, the Scenes in this Act ends with a 
rhyming couplet. Why did Shakespeare use the 
rhyming couplet ? 

Ans. Cf. p. 35. 

76. From the information given of Bassanio in 
this Act, what do we perceive is one of his principal 
dramatic functions ? 

Ans. He is the connecting link by means of which 
Shakespeare joins the Christian and the Jew sides of 
the drama. 

ACT II. 

77. Why does the Prince of Morocco refer in 
apologetic words to his complexion 1 

78. Does Shakespeare sometimes use the superla- 
tive degree when comparison is between two objects ? 

79. What opinion, prevalent in Shakespeare's day^ 
is the cause of the remark, to prove whose Uood is 
reddest ? 

Ans. The belief that the blood of ignoble and 
cowardly men was of a light hue ; that that of brave 
and noble men was red. 

80. What does Portia say about the restrictions 
surrounding her marriage ? 

81. Who was the /Soj?7i?/.? 

82. What reference is made to Sultan Solyman? 

83. Who was Lichas? 

84. What contingency awaited Portia's suitors who 
f£tiled ? 



THE MEKCHAN^T OF VENICE. 183 

85. What is the nature of the introduction of 
Launcelot and Gobbo at the beginning of Sc. 2 ? 

A?is. It is a comic episode. 

86. What is its dramatic purpose ? 

Ans. I. Temporarily to stop the movement of the 
action which has just begun. II. To furnish a 
humorous contrast to the action of the drama which 
has been serious. 

87. What course of conduct is Launcelot meditat- 
ing ? 

88. What is the dramatic purpose of this ? 

Ans. To foreshadow one function, that Launcelot 
performs in the drama — viz. , that of Link-Person. 
In a subsidiary way he connects Shylock and Bas- 
sanio, the Jew and the Christian sides of the action. 

89. What is the dramatic function of Old Gobbo ? 
A}is. He is a Character-Foil. By means of him 

Launcelot has an opportunity to manifest his /ocZe?'^. 

90. Why is he made blind ? 

Ans. Were he not it would be impossible for Laun- 
celot to fool him so completely ? 

91. Does Bassanio employ Launcelot ? 

92. What request does Gratiano make to Bassanio ? 

93. What answer, and upon what conditions, does 
Bassanio give to that request ? 

94. What revelations of Shylock's domestic life 
does Jessica make at the beginning of Sc. 3 ? 

95. Has Jessica any affection for her father ? 

96. Is he worthy of any ? 
Ans. Cf. III. 1. 73. seq. 

97. Upon what mission does she send Launcelot ? 

98. What tribute does Launcelot pay to her ? 



184 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

99. What information does Jessica give, in the 
soliloquy at the end of iSc. 3, of her feelings and 
her plans ? 

100. Who compose the group at the beginning of 
So. 4? 

101. For what are they making arrangements ? 

102. What reply does Lorenzo send to Jessica's 
letter ? 

103. What were the contents of that letter ? 

104. What does Shylock say to Launcelot about 
the latter's change of masters ? 

105. What can we infer of Shylock's feelings 
toward Jessica from the coarse and vulgar way in 
which he yells to her ? 

106. Has iShylock changed his mind in reference to 
eating with Christians ? 

107. What motives govern him in accepting the 
invitation to supper ? 

108. What dream did he have, and what was its 
effect upon him ? 

109. What dramatic use of dreams does Shake- 
speare make in other plays ? 

Am. Cf. pp. 142-143. 

110. What was a 7nasque ? 

111. What did Shylock think of them ? 

112. What was Jacob's staff 

113 What current opinion suggested to Shake- 
peare the reference to a Jewess' eye? 

114. What parting instructions does Shylock, be- 
fore going to supper, give to Jessica ? 

115. What does Jessica, after Shylock's departure, 
respond ? 



THE MERCHANT OP VENICE. 185 

116. What is the dramatic purpose of this ? 

Alls. To inform the spectators of her projected 
elopement with Lorenzo, the preparations for which 
have been completed. 

117. What dramatic purpose does Shakespeare 
effect by sending Shylock to the supper ? 

Ans. He makes it easy for Jessica to make all her 
arrangements to elope, and then, when Lorenzo and 
his friends arrive, to do so. 

118. What reflections do Gratiano and Salarino 
make upon the ardor of lovers ? 

119. When Lorenzo joins his friends at Shylock's 
house and calls for Jessica what does she say ? What 
does she do ? 

120. When Jessica has made her exit above, and 
before she enters heloio, what tribute to her does 
Lorenzo pay ? 

121. What is the dramatic effect of this ? 

122. This Scene (5) is brought to a close with great 
dramatic effectiveness. How ? 

123. Of what Scene in this Act is Sc. 7 a continua- 
tion ? 

124. What inscriptions were on the caskets ? 

125. What reflections does Morocco make on each 
of the inscriptions ? 

126. To what current coin does he allude ? 

127. Where were the Hyrcanian deserts? 

128. Does Shakespeare elsewhere allude to 
them? 

129. What tribute to Portia's popularity similar to 
that of Bassanio (cf. I. 1. 167, seq.) does Morocco 
pay ? 



186 HOW TO STUDY SfiAKESPEAilE. 

1 30. What reflections does Morocco make on his 
failure to choose the riglit casket ? 

131. What is the writing on the scroll ? 

132. What are the principal traits of Morocco's 
character as revealed by his reflections on the inscrip- 
tions, and by his choice ? 

133. Is the writing on the scroll apropos to 
them? 

134. Do Portia's remarks as to Morocco's complex- 
ion add dramatic significance to Morocco's own re- 
marks thereon, II. 1. 1, seq. ? 

135. To what remark of her own previous to 
Morocco's entrance do they direct attention ? 

Ans. Cf. p. 179. 

136. What information does Salarino give of Bas 
sanio and Gratiano ? 

137. What does Salanio give of the Jew ? 

138. What description of Shylock's language and 
conduct when he learns of the elopement does Sa- 
lanio give ? 

139. Why does Shakespeare make this descrip- 
tion not only tragic, but also slightly humorous ? 

Ans. To increase, by contrast, the force of the for- 
mer. 

140. Why does Shakespeare give this information 
in the form of a narration instead of having it acted 
on the stage ? 

Ans. It would have detracted materially from the 
force of III. 1. The dramatic perspective would 
not have been so perfect. 

141. What information does Salarino receive from 
a Frenchman ? 



THE MEilCHANt or* VE]S"lCE. 18*^ 

142. What is the dramatic purpose of this state- 
ment ? 

Ans. To foreshadow the loss of Antonio's ships. 

143. What tribute to Antonio does Salarino pay ? 

144. Wliat does Salanio say in response ? 

145. What is the dramatic function of these trib- 
utes ? 

A71S. To develop Pathos. 

146. What other friendship does this of Antonio 
and Bassanio recall ? 

Ans. That of Antonio and Sebastian in Twelfth 
Night. 

147. What trait does Portia reveal in her remarks 
to the Prince of Arragon, on his arrival ? 

Ans. Decision of character. 

148. To what injunctions doth every one swear who 
comes to hazard for Portia ? 

149. What reflections on the inscriptions does 
Arragon make ? 

150. From them, and from his choice, what infer- 
ence do we draw as to his character ? 

151. Does the writing on the scroll describe him ? 
153. What message does the servant now bring to 

Portia ? 

153. What response does Portia make ? 

154. What does Nerissa ? 

155. Why does Shakespeare make Nerissa express 
the wish that it may be Bassanio ? 

Ans. To point to him as the coming suitor and 
future husband of Portia. 

156. Is this a reiteration, with increased emphasis, 
of what she had previously said of Bassanio ? 



188 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Ans. Cf. I. 2. 100, seq. 

157. Of what qualities of a work of art is this a 
manifestation ? 

Ans. Repetition, Alteration, Alternation. Cf. 
" Genesis of Art-Form," Raymond, chap. xii. 

ACT III. 

158. What information concerning Antonio does 
Salarino give ? 

159. Why does Salarino give this information ? 
Ajis. To foreshadow Antonio's sufferings at the 

hand of Shylock. 

160. To whom does Salanio compare Shylock ? 

161. What troubles have befallen Shylock ? 

162. What feelings toward Antonio does he ex- 
press ? 

163. What comparison does Shylock make be- 
tween a Jew and a Christian ? 

164. What is the ethical lesson taught by this pas- 
sage ? 

Ans. In the essential traits of humanity all men 
are alike. 

165. What is the dramatic purpose of it ? 

Ans. To give as a justification for Shylock's desire 
for revenge the reason that he is but following 
Christian example. 

166. What previous mention has been made of 
Tubal ? 

167. What news does Tubal bring to Shylock ? 

168. What is the effect on Shylock ? 

169. Do Shylock's remarks about Jessica, I would 



THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 189 

my daughter were dead, seq., entirely justify her feel- 
ings toward her father, and her conduct in leaving 
him ? 

170. What action does Shylock take at the end of 
Sc. 1 in reference to Antonio ? 

171. What is the dramatic significance of the refer- 
ence to our synagogue f 

Ans. To reveal the contrast between Shylock's 
cruel desire for vengeance and his fanaticism. 

172. This Scene is a wonderful portrayal of diver- 
sified and intense human emotion. What emotions 
does Shylock manifest ? 

Ans. Love of money, lack of paternal affection, 
grief at his losses, rage, intense and malignant desire 
for revenge, pathos, fanaticism. 

173. Shakespeare has not portrayed Shylock as a 
miser, as a man in whom every emotion and thought 
is absorbed by the love of money. Why ? 

Ans. That would be inartistic. Cf. "Lectures on 
Shakespeare," Coleridge, Bohn's Edition, p. 99. 

174. What is the dramatic function of Tubal ? 
Ans. He is a Character-Foil. In essential traits he 

is like Shylock ; in minor traits he is unlike. By the 
contrast the revelation of the character of each man 
is made more vivid. 

175. What revelation of her feelings toward Bas- 
sanio does Portia make at the beginning of Sc. 2 ? 

176. Does Shakespeare generally makejiis heroines 
reveal their love to the men with whom they aref in 
love ? 

Ans. Yes — e.g., Juliet, Romeo and Juliet, II. 2. 
100, 101 ; Miranda, Tempest, III. 1. 81, seq., and others. 



190 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

177. What is the meaning of peize ? 

178. Was the rack in use in England in Shake- 
speare's day ? 

179. What is the significance of Portia's words to 
Bassanio, Tf you do love me, you will find me out? 

Ans. To inform the spectators that Bassanio 's 
guide in selecting the correct casket was not thought 
but emotion. 

180. What does Portia say to Bassanio just pre- 
vious to his effort to select the casket ? 

181. Who was yl^a^es .? 

182. Who were the Dardanian wives f 

183. What reflections does Bassanio express as he 
stands before the casket ? 

184. Does Shakespeare elsewhere refer to this sub- 
ject — viz., that the outward shows he least themselves? 

185. What is the dramatic purpose of the song ? 
Ans. To emphasize the fact i\\^i fancy (love) is not 

bred in the head, but in the heart. 

186. What is Bassanio's choice, and what reasons 
does he give for making it ? 

187. What is Portia's analysis of her feelings when 
Bassanio is successful ? 

188. What description of Portia does Bassanio 
give when he finds Fair Portia's counterfeit in the 
casket ? 

189. When Bassanio opens the casket and finds the 
picture of Bortia, he does not at once read the scroll 
which contains the continent and summary of \\\^ for- 
tune. Why does Shakespeare make him delay ? 

Ans. To obey the Law of Gradation. Cf. "Gene- 
sis of Art-Form," Raymond, chaps, xvi., xvii. 



THE MERCHAiq^T OP VEKICE. 191 

190. Shakespeare does not attempt to give a de- 
tailed description of Portia's pliysical beauty. Why ? 

Alls. Physical beauty can be portrayed by the 
painter or sculptor, but not by the poet. The reason 
is, as Lessing states, "the poet can only exhibit in 
succession its (beauty's.) component parts ; . . it 
surpasses the power of human imagination to rep- 
resent to one's self what effect such and su .h a 
mouth, nose, and eyes will produce together, unless 
we can call to mind from nature or art a similar ccm- 
position of like parts." Laokoon, chap, xx., c^ v. 
Cf. Shakespeare's description of Cleopatra, Antony 
and Cleo., II. 2. 194, seq. ; also Homer's description 
of Helen, " Iliad," Book III., lines 144-191. 

191. What description of his feelings does Bas- 
sanio give to Portia when he wins her ? 

192. What description of herself does Portia give 
to Bassanio ? 

193. What is the dramatic significance of the ring ? 
Ans. To prepare for the delightful comic by-play 

with which the drama ends. 

194. What is the effect on the fortunes of Nerissa 
and Gratiano of Bassanio's success ? 

195. Who now enter and join the group around 
the casket ? 

196. From whom and to whom does Salerio bring 
a letter ? 

197. What are its contents ? 

198. What phases of Antonio's character are re- 
vealed by this letter ? 

199. What effect does it have on Bassanio, and 
what, later, on Portia ? 



192 HOW TO STUDT SHAKESPEARE. 

200. Wliat heroic, generous, noble qualities does 
it evoke in both ? 

201. What description of Shylock's present feel- 
ings toward Antonio does Salerio give ? 

202. What does Jessica say were Shylock's feel- 
ings in the past toward Antonio ? 

203. What description of Antonio does Bassanio 
give to Portia ? 

204. What is the dramatic purpose of this ? 
Ans. To awaken Patlios, and make more tragic 

the impending danger of Antonio. 

205. What offer of aid does Portia make ? 

206. What prompt action does Bassanio take ? 

207. What reply does Shylock make to Antonio's 
request for mercy ? 

208. When Shylock retires what does Antonio say 
to Salarino of the action of the Duke and the reasons 
therefor ? 

209. Is Antonio resigned to his fate ? 

210. Upon what does Portia base her opinion that 
Antonio, whom she had never met, must be a good 
man ? 

A71S. Upon his resemblance, as described by Lo- 
renzo, to Bassanio. It is based on the law of sym- 
pathy — viz., like is attracted to like, unlike repels. 

211. Before leaving Belmont, what arrangements 
for the control of her affairs does Portia make ? 

212. When she and Nerissa are left alone what 
plan for the salvation of Antonio does she reveal ? 

213. Why is Portia so merry ? 

214. What is the dramatic function of Sc. 5 ? 
Ans. It is a comic episode. During it the action 



THE MERCHANT OF A^ENICE 193 

of the drama is temporarily suspended. By its hu- 
mor it is intended to make more tragic Antonio's 
trial, which immediately follows. 

215. What description of Portia does Jessica give ? 

ACT IV. 

216. In what words does Antonio express resigna. 
tion to his fate ? 

217. What similar experience and words of one of 
Shakespeare's characters do they recall ? 

Ans. Wolsey. Cf. He?ir7/ VIIL, III. 2. 387, seq. 

218. What appeal does the Duke make to Shylock 
to be merciful ? 

219. What pun is there at the end of that appeal ? 

220. By what did Shylock swear to have the due 
and forfeit of his bond? 

221. Was Sabbatarianism a strong belief, almost a 
monomania among the Jews of that and the preced- 
ing times ? 

222. What reply did Shylock make to the Duke ? 

223. What description of Shylock and of his un- 
feeling conduct does Antonio give ? 

224. What offer in settlement of the bond does 
Bassanio make ? 

225. What is Shylock"s reply ? 

226. Who now arrives, and what does she bring ? 

227. What pun does Gratiano make ? 

238. What philippic does he utter against Shylock? 
229. What is his dramatic function in this Scene ? 
Ans. By his denunciation to reveal in brighter 
light Shy lock's merciless demand for justice. 



194 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

230. What was the philosophy of Pythagoras ? 
Ans. Cf. p. 79. 

231. In what other plays does Shakespeare refer to 
Pythagoras ? 

Ans. As you Like It, Twelfth Night. 

232. Who describes himself, and in what terms, in 
the language of the Pythagorean philosophy ? 

Ans. Edgar. Hog in sloth, fox in stealth, wolf in 
greediness, dog in madness, lion in prey. Lear, III. 
4. 95, seq, 

233. What are the contents of the letter Nerissa 
brings ? 

234. Who now enters ? 

235. Why has the entrance of Portia been so long 
delayed ? 

Ans. To intensify the dramatic interest. 

236. What does Portia say on the subject of 
mercy ? 

237. To what does Portia compare mercy ? 

238. Is this descriptive of the rain in England ? 

Ans. " It will rain there steadily for hours to- 
gether a fine, softly dropping rain, without wind 
enough to shake a rose-bush. . . This is why Portia 
says that mercy dro}ypeth as the gentle rain from 
heaven, seq." "England," Richard Grant White, 
p. 23. 

239. What other plea for mercy does that of 
Portia recall ? 

Ans. Isabella's plea with Angelo. Measure for 
Measure, II. 2. 59, seq. 

240. What are the different legal steps Portia takes 
ia her conduct of the trial ? 



THE MERCHANT OF VEN"ICE. 195 

241. Whatideas, current in liuman society, arealso 
being tried, tested ? 

Ans. Law vs. Justice. 

242. Is Shylock also, though not ostensibly, yet 
really on trial ? 

243. What plea does Bassanio make ? 

244. What response does Portia make thereto ? 

245. When judgment is, as he supposes, about to 
be pronounced against him, what does Antonio say ? 

246. What is the final decision ? 

247. Portia makes numerous delays — e.g., pleas to 
Shylock for mercy, demand for a surgeon. She does 
not announce her decision promptly and without 
circumlocution. Why ? 

Ans. To observe the artistic Law of Gradation, and 
thereby make more impressive and forceful the Cli- 
max when reached. 

248. Was this trial in accordance with the laws of 
Venice ; or of Rome, on which the former were based ; 
or with those of England in Shakespeare's day ? 

A71S. No. Cf. Furuess's Edition of this play, Ap- 
pendix, pp. 403-420. 

249. What is the dramatic purpose of Antonio's 
condition— viz., that Shylock should become a Chris- 
tian f 

250. What effect on the spectators of the drama 
does this insult, together with the illegal and unjust 
treatment of Shylock, evoke ? 

A?is. Pity. 

251. Did Shakespeare intend this ? 
Ans. Yes. 

252. Why? 



196 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Ans. His purpose was not to portray a man who 
was outside the pale of human sympathy. Such a 
man would change into a fiend. That would be in- 
artistic. In order, therefore, to evoke sympathy for 
him, which his own conduct would not do, Shylock 
is made the victim of insulting and illegal treatment. 

253. What great dramatist, and in what play, made 
this artistic mistake ? 

Ans. Marlowe, in The Jew of Malta. 

254. With what comic by-play does the Trial Scene 
end? 

255. What is the dramatic purpose of this ? 
Ans. To relieve the strained emotions and thoughts 

of the spectators. 

256. Why did this play not end with the conclusion 
of the Trial Scene ? 

Ans. Because the loan and all its tragic conse- 
quences is not the Main but a Sub- Action. 

257. In this Act Shakespeare portrays pathos, hu- 
mor, tragedy. What in this Trial Scene is the high- 
est expression of each ? 

258. What perfect specimen of Character Contrast 
does Shakespeare give in this Trial Scene ? 

Ans. Portia, benignant, beautiful, brilliant m. Shy- 
lock, remorseless, cruel, pitiless. 

ACTV. 

259. What is the dramatic purpose of Act V. ? 
Ans. To bring to a peaceful and happy conclusion 

the main action of the drama. 

260. To what place is the scene of the drama now 
transferred ? 



THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. 197 

261. What are the environing conditions of this 
last Act ? 

262 What classical allusions do Lorenzo and Jes- 
sica make ? 

263. Does this conversation reveal their characters ? 

264. How do they, as here manifested, compare 
with Bassanio and Portia, with Gratiano and Nerissa ? 

265. What message does Stephano bring ? 

266. Why does Launcelot now enter ? 

Ans. To aid in producing a comic conclusion to 
the play. 

267. What apostrophe to music does Lorenzo 
make ? 

268. Does Shakespeare generally introduce music 
in his love scenes ? 

269. Where else in this play does he do so ? 

270. What are Portia's first words on returning to 
Belmont, and what is their dramatic significance ? 

Ans. I. They describe her own conduct. II. They 
describe also one of the ethical ideas which pervade 
the play. 

271. What does she say about the music she hears 
as she approaches her home ? 

272. Who reach Belmont shortly after she and 
Nerissa arrive there ? 

273. Why does Portia change her tone from seri- 
ousness, when conversing witli Nerissa, to fun and 
pleasantry, when she converses with Bassanio ? 

274. With what pun does she begin that conversa- 
tion ? 

275. What is the dramatic purpose of the lovers' 
quarrel about the rings ? 



198 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Ans. To intensify the comic with which the play 
ends. 

376. What dramatic mission does Antonio here 
fulfil ? 

Ans. By means of him the complication caused by 
the rings is solved. 

277. What good news does Portia announce to 

Antonio ? 
* * * * * * 

278. What is the Main Action of this drama ? 
Ans. The love affair of Bassanio and Portia. 

279. Why is not the loan, with the consequences 
thereof, the Main Action ? 

Ans. Because everything in the drama flows from, 
is the result of Bassanio's wooing of Portia. Had Bas- 
sanio not wanted to woo Portia and been too impe- 
cunious to do so the loan would never have been 
made. 

280. What, then, is the dramatic character of the 
loan ? 

Ans. It is the principal Sub-Action. 

281. What is the Climax of the drama ? 
Ans. III. 2. 

282. Has Shakespeare successfully woven into dra- 
matic unity the stories he has dramatized ? 

283. What are the Sub- Actions ? 

284 Are they so constructed and developed that 
the drama possesses unity ? 

385. The scene of this drama is Venice. Does 
Shakespeare perfectly preserve the local color ? 

Ans. Cf. "The Gay Science," Dallas, Vol. 11. , 
pp. 253-264. 



THE MEKCHANT OF VEI^'ICE. 199 

286. What geographical allusions are there iu the 
play? 

287. What references are there to ancient myths, 
to classical personages ? 

288. Shakespeare gives in this play two very fine 
portrayals of complex emotion — e.g., Sliylock, III. 1; 
Portia, III. 2. Are they psychologically correct ? 

289. What are the puns in this play ? 

290. Is Shakespeare's habit of punning artistic ? 
Is it forceful ? 

Ans. " A pun, if it be congruous with the feeling 
of the scene, is not only allowable in the dramatic 
dialogue, but is oftentimes one of the most effectual 
intensives of passion." Coleridge. 

291. AVliat examples of Balance and Proportion 
are there in this play ? 

Ans. Antonio vs. his friends in Sc. 1. 

Portia vs. Nerissa. 

Tubal and Shylock, the Jews vs. The Duke, Portia, 
Antonio, Bassanio, and the other Christians in the 
Trial Scene. 

The interview between Launcelot and Gobbo, I. 2 
vs. that between Shylock and Jessica, II. 5. 

Antonio vs. Shylock. 

The three pairs of lovers, Bassanio and Portia vs. 
Gratiano and Nerissa vs. Lorenzo and Jessica. 

There are other examples of a similar kind. 

292. What was the Environing Action in this 
drama ? 

A?is. The argosies. 

293. In what way did they exert an influence on 
the action of the drama ? 



200 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAKE. 

294. How do the following characters compare 
and contrast with each other — Antonio vs. Bassanio ; 
Antonio vs. Shylock ; Bassanio vs. the other suitors 
of Portia — viz., Morocco, Arragon ; Shylock vs. Tu- 
bal ; Portia vs. Nerissa ; Nerissa vs. Jessica ; Laun- 
celot vs. Old Gobbo, etc. ? 

295. How does Launcelot compare with Launcein 
T/ie Two Gentlemen of Verona ? 

296. Also Gratiano with Mercutio ? 

297. Also Nerissa with Shakespeare's other wait- 
ing-women — e.g., Lucetta, Two Gentlemen of Verona; 
Maria, Twelfth Night, etc. ? 

Ans. Cf. article on " Shakespeare's Waiting-Wom- 
en," by Miss Latham, Transactions New Shake- 
speare Society, 1887-92, p. 91, seq. 

298. Are Portia's wooers, Bassanio, Morocco, Arra- 
gon, as their characters are revealed by their reflec- 
tions on the caskets, and their choice thereof , not only 
individuals, but also types of men ? 

299. In this play all the women at some time as- 
sume male attire. Why ? 

300. In what respects does Shylock compare, in 
what contrast with Marlowe 's Barabbas ? 

Ans. Cf. "Old English Dramatists," Lowell, pp. 
28-54. 

SOL This play ends, but the action does not stop. 
Cf. V. L 277-28L Why ? 

Ans. Incompleteness is a characteristic of a great 
work of art, particularly of the arts of motion — viz., 
music, poetry. Cf." The Renaissance," Pater, pp. 70, 
71, 78, 79 ; " Old Pictures in Florence," Browning. 

302. There is a conflict in this play between the 



THE MERCHAKT OF VENTCE. 201 

dramatic time and the natural time. The bond sud- 
denly became forfeit. The explanation probably is 
that Shylock craftily put a clause in the bond mak- 
ing it payable on such a day — i.e., on demand, Cf. 
article by Mr. Halpin on time-analysis of this play 
in Transactions of New Shakespeare Society, 1875- 
76, pp. 388-412. 

303. Shakespeare sometimes uses prose, sometimes 
verse ; sometimes in the midst of a scene changes 
from one to another — e.g. , I. 3. Why ? 

Ans. Cf . ' ' Introduction to the Study of Shake- 
speare," Corson, pp. 83-98. 

304. What can we infer from its continuous popu- 
larity as to the position of this play in dramatic 
literature ? 

Ans. A sure test of the greatness of a work of art 
is its popularity with future generatious. Cf. " The 
Ideal in Art," Taine. 

V. Collateral Reading. 

Shakespeare Commentaries, Gervinus. Translated 
by F. E. Bunnett, pp. 230-247. 

William Shakespeare, Wendell, pp. 144-157. 

A Short History of the English People, Green, 
chap, vii., Section VII., p. 434. 

Mad Folk of Shakespeare, Bucknill, pp. 305, 306. 

Characters of Shakespeare's Plays, Hazlitt, pp. 
269-273. 

Hudson. Introduction to his edition of this play. 

Some of Shakespeare's Female Characters, Helen 
Faucit, p. 23, seq. 



202 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Dyce's Edition of Shakespeare, Vol. I., p. xxi., 
seq. 

History of English Dramatic Literature, Ward, 
Vol. I., p. 188, seq. 

Characteristics of Women, Jameson, Routledge, 
pp. 47-75. 

Lectures on Dramatic Literature, Schlegel, Bohn's 
Edition. 

Richard Grant White, Introduction to his edition 
of this play. 

Articles by George Fletcher in Fi^aser's Magazine, 
Vol. XLI., pp, 499-512, 697-712. 

Shakespeare's Dramatic Art. Ulrici, Bohn's Edi- 
tion, Vol. IL, p. 121, seq. 



MACBETH 



MACBETH 

I. The Source of the Plot. 

The plot of this play is founded upon Hol- 
inshed's History of Makbeth. A transcript of 
this is in Hazlitt's " Shakespeare's Library," 
Part L, Vol. II., pp. 149-176. Also in " Shake- 
speare's Holinshed," W. G. Boswell-Stone, pp. 
18-26 ; 32-44. 

Shakespeaie's use of this history reveals his 
keen perception of dramatic possibilities. A 
comparison of the play with the history dis- 
closes these differences. 

The following facts which are in the history 
are not in the play : the assault on Banquo 
when collecting " the finances due to the king ;" 
the murder of the sergeant-at-arms ; the first 
campaign against Macdouwald, except indirect 
reference thereto, I. 2. 3, seq. ; the description of 
Fleance's life in Wales ; the statement that 
Macbeth fled from tlie battle-field, and was pur- 
sued by Macduff " till he came unto Lunfan 
naine." 

The following incidents in the play are not in 
the history : all the details of Lady Macbeth's 
life and character, from the letter to the suicide 
(the only reference to her in Holinshed is, 



206 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

" but speciallie his wife lay sore upon him to at- 
tempt the thing, as she that was verie ambitious, 
burning in unquenchable desire to beare the 
name of a queene ") ; all of Macbeth's solilo- 
quies in Act I. ; all of the incidents in Scs. 5, 
6, 7, of the same Act, except the statement of 
the murder of Duncan ; the Porter in Act II., 
Sc. 3 ; in fact, nearly all of Act II. except 
the flight of Malcolm and Donalbain, and the 
reference to Duncan's body ; everything in Act 
III., except the murder of Duncan and the flight 
of Fleance; all in Act IV., except the witches' 
prophecy, and tlie interview between Macduff 
and Malcolm ; the principal facts in Act Y. are 
taken from Holinshed, but all details are the 
Poet's invention. 

Shakespeare alters the character of Banquo. 
In Holinshed's History, Banquo is an accessory 
to the murder of Duncan. 

In one very important particular Shakespeare 
follows Holinshed exactly— viz., in making the 
Climax of the play the murder of Banquo and 
■ the escape of Fleance. 

There was a play, TJie Witch, by Thomas 
Middleton, between which and Macbeth there 
are many points of resemblance. From this, 
and also from the additional fact that parts of 
Macbeth are very inferior to Shakespeare's other 
work, and are not in his manner, it has been in- 
ferred that Middleton collaborated with Shake- 
speare in writing this play. 

The Cambridge editors, Clark and Wright, 



MACBETH. 207 

think the following parts of the play were not 
written by Shakespeare, but are the work of 
Middleton : I. 2 ; I. 3. 1-37 ;* II. 3. 1-19 ; HI. 
5 ; IV. 1. 39-47, 125-132 ; IV. 3. 140-159 ; V. 2 ; 
V. 5. 47-50 ; V. 8. 32-33, 35-75. 

Clark and Wright say : " We might supix)se, 
therefore, that after drawing out the scheme of 
Macbeth, Shakespeare reserved to himself all the 
Scenes in which Macbeth and Lady Macbeth 
appeared and left the rest to his assistant. We 
must further suppose that he largely retouched, 
and even rewrote in places, this assistant's work, 
and that in his own work his good nature occa- 
sionally tolerated insertions by the other." Pref- 
ace to Macbeth, p. xii. 

On this subject, vide Furness's Macbeth, p. 388, 
seq. ; Fleay's " Shakespeare Manual," Part II., 
chap. X. ; article by Richard Grant White, in 
the Galaxy, January, 1877, p. 76, seq. 

II. Explanatory Notes. 

ACT I. 

Scene 1. 

Hurly-burly. Turmoil, noise. An onomatopoetic 
word. 

Oraymalkin. A gray cat. 

Paddock. A toad. Cf. Hamlet, III. 4. 190. 

Anon. Immediately. 



* All line references are to the Globe Edition. 



^08 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Scene 2. 

' ' We believe that the second Sc. of the first Act 
was not written by Shakespeare. Making all allow- 
ance for corruption of text, the slovenly naetre is not 
like Shakespeare's work, even when he is most care- 
less. The bombastic phraseology of the sergeant is 
not like Shakespeare's language, even when he is 
most bombastic. What is said of the thane of 
Cawdor, lines 52-53, is inconsistent with what fol- 
lows, Sc. 3. 72-73, 112, seq. We may add Uiat 
Shakespeare's good sense would hardly have toler- 
ated the absurdity of sending a severel}'- wounded 
soldier to carry the news of a victory." C. and W.* 

There is no evidence that the sergeant was sent. 
The news of the victory was brought by Ross. He. 
doubtless, was the messenger sent. 

Bloody. ' ' This word bloody reappears on almost 
every page, and runs like a red thread through the 
whole piece ; in no other of Shakespeare's dramas is 
it so frequent." Bodenstedt. 

Say. Tell. 

Broil. Not, as now, a petty quarrel, but a battle. 
Cf. Othello, I. 8. 87 ; /. Henry IV., I. 1. 3. 

Choke their art. By clinging to each other neu- 
tralize their efforts to reach shore, and are drowned. 

Of kerns and gallowglasses. "Kerns were light- 
armed troops, having only darts, daggers, or knives ; 
t]iQgallowglassesh^([ helmet, coat of mail, long sword, 
and axe." C. and W. 0/is used in the sense of 
with. Cf. II. Henry VL, IV. 9. 26. 



Clark and Wright. 



MACBETH. 209 

Show'd. Appeared. 

Minion. Darling. 

JSfave. Navel. 

Chaps. The jaws, the mouth. 

Cousin. Macbeth and Duncan were both grand- 
sons of King Malcolm, and, therefore, cousins. 

So from that spring. Source. "As thunder and 
storms sometimes come from the East, the quarter 
from which men expect the sunrise, so out of victory 
a new danger springs." C. and W. 

Surveying. Perceiving. 

Furbish' d arms, seq. Arms that had not yet been 
used, and men who had not yet been engaged in 
the fight. 

Double cracks. Double charges of ammunition. 

Memorize. Render famous or memorable. 

Thane. A nobleman inferior to an earl. 

Flout. Mock. Meaning seems to be that the 
Norweyan banners mock the sky and affright our 
people. 

Bellona's bridegroom. Macbeth. 

Self- comparisons. Met him in hand-to-hand con- 
flict, to prove which was the better soldier. 

Composition. Terms of peace. 

Saint Colme's Inch. The Island of Saint 
Columba. in the Firth of Forth, near the Fife 
shore. 

Dollars. An anachronism. The dollar was not 
coined till 1518, some five hundred years later. 

Our bosom interest. Our confidence. 

Present. Immediate. Cf. Measure for Measure, 
IV. 2. 233. 



210 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAHE. 



Scene 3. 

Munch' d. "Chewed with a great appetite." 
Schmidt. " Chewed with closed lips." C. and W. 

'Aroint thee. " Away with thee." Rolfe. 

Bump-fed ronyon. Pampered old woman. 

Ill do, seq. " She threatens in the shape of a rat 
to gnaw through the hull of the Tiger and make her 
spring a leak." C. and W. 

Til give thee a wind. Witches were supposed to be 
able to cause winds to blow, and also to guide them 
in any direction. The very 'ports they Uoic, means I 
can direct the winds to anypoit. 

The shipman's card. The card of the compass. 
On it the points of the compass are marked. 

Pent-house lid. Eyelid, so called because it slopes 
like the roof of a pent house, the little projection 
overhanging the outer door of an Elizabethan house. 

He shall live, seq. Under a curse. 

Weird-sisters. Holinshed said they were the God- 
esses of Destiny. 

Posters. Couriers^ " The witches here take hold 
of hands and dance around in a ring nine times, 
three rounds for each witch, as a charm for the 
furtherance of her purposes. Multiples of three and 
nine were specially affected by witches, ancient and 
modern." C. and W. 

80 foul and fair, seq. A day which changes from 
storm to sunshine. 

Forres. On the southern shore of Moray Frith. 

Ton should he women, seq. Your appearance in- 
dicates that you are women, and yet, seq. 



MACBETH. 211 

Glamis. Twenty-five miles N. E. of Perth. 

Good sir, seq. Cf. "Lectures on Shakespeare," 
Coleridge, Bohn's Edition, pp. 371-373. 

Fantastical. Imaginary. 

Note the phrasing : present grace . . of noble hav- 
ing ; great 'prediction . . of royal hope ; neither beg 
. . your favours; nor fear , . your hate. 

Sinel. The father of Macbeth. 

Stands not within, seq. Is not credible. 

Corporal. Corporeal. 

The insane root. The root that causes insanity. 
It might be hemlock, or henbane. 

His toonders, seq. Thine refers to praises, his to 
wonders. The conflict between praise and admira- 
tion is so great that the king cannot speak. 

Earnest. Pledge. 

Line. " Strengthen, fortify." Schmidt. 

That trusted home. Believed entirely, without 
any question. Cf. Measure for Measure, IV. 3. 
148. 

Enkindle you unto. " Incite you to hope for." C. 
and W. 

Present feaj'S, seq. Actual danger is less fearful 
than a dread of it. 

My thought. My conception. Macbeth refers to 
the thought which has just come to him, that if Dun- 
can were murdered he could seize the throne. 

Function. The practical use of my faculties, 
which now are so disturbed by my imaginings thai 
I cannot do anything. 

Time and the hour, seq. "Is merely an equiva- 
lent of time and tide — the time and tide that wait 



212 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

for no man," seq. " Words and their Uses," Rich- 
ard Grant White, pp. 237-238. 

Your favour. Indulgence ; in other words, excuse 
me. 

My dull brain was wrought, seq. Macbeth tries to 
divert attention from himself for fear the bystanders 
may suspect his thoughts. Cf. " Lectures on Shake- 
speare," Coleridge, Bohn's Edition, pp. 373-374. 

Scene 4. 

Are not, seq. Cf. Abbott, Grrammar, § 295. 

Have spoke. Cf. Ibid, % 343. 

Studied. Versed. Cf. The Merchant of Venice, 
II. 2. 205. 

Careless trifle. Trifle for which he cared nothing. 

There's no art, seq. " Duncan's reflections on the 
conduct of Cawdor are suddenly interrupted by the 
entrance of one whose face gave as little indication 
of the construction of his mind, upon whom he had 
built as absolute a trust, and who was about to re- 
quite that trust by an act of still more signal and 
more fatal treachery. This is an admirable stroke 
of dramatic art. " C. and W. 

Everything safe toward, seq. Everything which is 
dictated by loyalty to your love and honour. 

Grow. " Used here in the sense of ' to cling close,' 
and also to increase." C. and W. Cf. Henry VIIL, 
V. 5. 50, for former use ; Merchant of Venice, III. 4. 
11 for latter use. 

Establish our estate. Make arrangements for the 
succession to the throne. 

Harbinger. An oflScer who rode in advance of 



MACBETH. 213 

the king and made arrangements for bis entertain- 
ment. 

The Prince of CumbeHand, seq. Macbeth per- 
ceives this is another impediment in the way of his 
securing the throne. He will kill Cumberland just 
as he had decided to kill Duncan. 

Scene 5. 

Perfectest report. Most reliable intelligence. 

Milk o' human kindness. Kindness in the sense of 
good-will, benignity, tenderness, hardly seems to be 
a quality of a man who woidd'st wrongly win ; who 
reached the throne by a bloody path, a path strewn 
with murdered men ; who, later, maintained him- 
self on the throne by the slaughter of a helpless 
woman and children. 

Lady Macbeth here uses the word kindness in the 
same sense in which it was used in Old and Middle 
English. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon cijnd, 
nature ; cynde, natural, innate. It means character- 
istic of the species, belonging to one's nature. In 
this sense it is used in the Litany, " Kindly fruits of 
the earth. " In this sense Shakespeare uses it in this 
passage and in others. Hamlet describes his uncle- 
father (I. 2. 65) as A little more than kin and less 
than kind, which means (I quote from Richard 
Grant White) : "In marrying my mother you have 
made yourself something more than my kinsman, 
and at the same time have shown yourself unworthy 
of our race, our kind.'' Again, II. 2. 609. 

Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain — 
i.e. , an unnatural villain, one contrary to human kind. 



214 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Cf. also Lear, I. 5. 13 ; Antony and Cleo., V. 2. 263. 

Lady Macbeth meant her husband was too full o' 
the milk (the essence) of human kindness, of human 
nature, too thoroughly human, to rise above the 
weakness of a man, and catch the nearest way — i.e., 
use violent, bloody means to gain the throne. Cf. 
"The Old and Middle English," J. L. Kingston 
Oliphaut, p. 345; " English, Past and Present," 
Trench, pp. 251-252. 

Illness. Evil. 

Metaphysical. Supernatural. 

Thou'rt mad, seq. ' ' Lady Macbeth, thrown off her 
guard by the suddenness of the announcement, 
which gives an opportunity for the immediate exe- 
cution of the crime she has been meditating, breaks 
out into an exclamation of great violence, for which, 
recovering herself, she wishes to account." C. and W. 

Had the speed, seq. Was more speedy. 

Tending. Attention. 

Topfull. Full to the brim. 

Remorse. Relenting ; ' ' not only repentance for a 
deed done, but also for a thought conceived. " C. and 
W. Cf. Merchant of Venice, IV. 1. 20. 

Sightless substances. Invisible forms. 

This ignorant present. The present time from 
which the future is hid. 

Into my dispatch. Leave the transaction of this 
great business to me. 

Scene 6. 

" This short dialogue between Duncan and Banquo 
has always appeared to me a striking instance of 



MACBETH. 215 

what in painting is termed repose. Their conversa- 
tion very naturally turns upon the beauty of the 
situation, and the pleasantness of the air ; and Ban- 
quo, observing the martlets' nests in every recess of 
the cornice, remarks that where those birds most 
breed and haunt the air is delicate. The subject of 
this quiet and easy conversation gives that repose so 
necessary to the mind after the tumultuous bustle of 
the preceding scenes, and perfectly contrasts the 
scene of horror that immediately succeeds." Sir 
Joshua Reynolds. 

God'ield us. "A corruption of * God yield us,' 
— i.e., ' Grod reward us.' " C. and W. 

Single. Small, weak. 

In compt. In account. 

Scene 7. 

Trammel up. Catch, as in a net. 

Catch . . surcease, seq. "If the murder could 
prevent its consequence, and by the arrest of that 
consequence secure success." C. and W. 

Was the hope drunk? seq. "Were you drunk 
when you formed your bold plan, and are you now 
just awake from the debauch, to be crestfallen, 
shrinking, mean-spirited ?" Moberly. 

Adhere. Cohere. 

Wassail. A drinking-bout, a carouse. 

Limbeck. An alembic, a still. 

Spongy. " Imbibing like a sponge." Schmidt. 

Each corporal agent. Every faculty, power of my 
body. 

Mock the time. Same as beguile tlie time. I. 5, 61. 



216 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Note. — " Scs. 5 and 7 are surpassed as psychological 
studies by few even of Shakespeare's own. ' ' Richard 
Grant White, Introduction to Macbeth. 

ACT II. 

Scene 1. 

" The grandest exhibition of the pure tragedy of 
horror that exists in all literature — the II. Act of this 
play." Richard Grant White, Introduction to Mac- 
beth. 

Husbandry. Economy. 

Their. Shakespeare frequently uses the plural 
pronoun in connection with heaven. Of. Richard II., 
I. 2. 7 ; III. 3. 17-19 : Hamlet, III. 4. 173. 

Candles. Cf. Merchant of Venice, V. 1. 220 ; Romeo 
and Juliet, III 5. 9. 

Take thee that too. " Banquo hands to Fleance 
something else, a sword-belt or dagger, not lest he 
might be tempted to use them, but because in a 
friend's house he was perfectly secure." C. and W. 

Cursed thoughts. The ire?>(Z--S'is^e?'S had prophesied 
that Banquo's issue should be kings. Of that he 
had had a dream, vide line 20. Ambitious thoughts 
that were disloyal were entering his mind. From 
them he prays to be saved. Note the contrast be- 
tween him and Macbeth. 

Offices. The parts of the castle occupied by the 
servants. 

Our will, seq. Our ability to entertain you was 
not equal to our desire to do so. 

Franchis'd. Free from any disloyalty. 



MACBETH. ^l"? 

Sensible. That which can be perceived by the 
senses. 

Dudgeon. The handle of a dagger. 

Gouts. Drops. 

Informs. "To form, to shape." Schmidt. "Gives 
information." C. and W. I prefer the former 
meaning. 

Hecate. A goddess of the infernal region who 
practised and taught soroery and witchcraft. She is 
frequently referred to by Shakespeare. 

Tarquin. Sextus Tarquinius, who perpetrated the 
rape of Lucre tia. 

My steps which way, seq. On the redundant ob- 
ject, cf. Abbott, Grammar, ^ 414. 

T'he very stones, seq. Cf. Luke xix. 40 ; also 
Lucrece, 302-306. 

"The dagger *scene is an illustration of Shake- 
speare's finest psychological insight. An hallucina- 
tion of sight resulting from the high-wrought ner- 
vous tension of the regicide, and ' the present horror 
of the time,' and typifying in form the dread purpose 
of his mind is impressed upon his senses, but re- 
jected by his judgment is recognized as a morbid 
product of mental excitement, and finally its exist- 
ence altogether repudiated, and the bloody business 
of the mind made answerable for the foolery of the 
senses." Buckuill, "Mad-Folk of Shakespeare," 
p. 18. 

Scene 2. 

That which hath made, seq. Reference is to the 
posset, the drink usually taken before retiring. Mac- 
beth alludes to it in the previous Scene, line 31. 



218 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAEE. 

The fatal bellman. , seq. Cf. Webster's " Duchess 
of Malfi," ActlV., Sc. 2: 

" I am the common bellman, 
That usually is sent to condemn'd persons 
The night before they suffer." 

" Duncan is the condemned person referred to." 
C. and W. 

Confounds. Ruins, destroys. Used in same sense 
in IV. 1. 54 ; IV. 3. 99. 

Listening. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 291. 

Brainsickly. "Madly." Schmidt. 

Oo get some water, seq. Cf. V. 1. 61. 

Oild . . guilt. This pun intensifies the horror, 
and was intended by Shakespeare to do so. 

Heart so white. So cowardly. Cf. IV. 1. 85. 

Constancy. Firmness. Cf. Julius Cmsar, II. 1. 
299, seq. 

Night-gown. Dressing-gown. 

Scene 3. 

Some critics — e.g., C. and W., Coleridge, reject 
the Porter's speech as not being Shakespeare's work. 
Many accept it. Mr. J. W. Hales expresses the 
opinion of such in his paper in " Transactions of the 
Kew Shakespeare Society," 1874, p. 255, seq. I 
unhesitatingly accept it as Shakespeare's work. 

The second cock. 3 a.m. Cf. Romeo and Juliet, 
IV. 4. 3. 

" The second cock hath crow'd, 

The curfew bell hath rung, 'tis three o'clock." 

Timely. Betimes. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 1. 
Limited. Appointed. 



MACBETH. 219 

The obscure bird. The bird of night, the owl. 

Cannot conceive nor, seq. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, 
§406. 

Confusion. Destruction. 

Gorgon. The Gorgons were so frightful tliat they 
turned to stone all those on whom they fixed their 
eyes. 

The great doom'' s image. " A sight as terrible as 
the Last Judgment." C. and W. 

Countenance. To be in sympathy with, to "give 
a suitable accompaniment to. " C. and TV. 

Such a hideous trumpet, seq. The alarm bell, 
which is compared to a trumpet used on the battle- 
field. 

Nothing serious in mortality. iSTothing weight}^ 
important in human life. 

Renown and grace is, seq. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, 
§§ 333-338. 

Badg'd. " ^Marked as with a badge." Schmidt. 

Unmannerly hreeclVd. "The insincerity of Mac- 
beth 's lamentations is marked by the affectation of his 
language." C. and W. 

Hid in an auger-hole, seq. Our fate, danger, is 
everywhere about us, even in the most secret places 
— e.g., an auger-hole. 

Nor our strong sorroic, seq. Our sorrow is so 
sudden and so bewildering that we are paralyzed, 
motionless. 

Pretence. Purpose, design. 

Manly readiness, seq. Dressed, armed, courageous. 

The near in blood, seq. Reference is to the Mac- 
beths who were blood relations. 



220 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARil. 

Tliis murderous shaft, seq. Metaphor is of an 
arrow which has been sliot. This plot includes us, 
as well as our Father, among its victims. Therefore, 
to horse, seq. 

Scene 4. 

Trifled. This dreadful night hath made all former 
experiences trivial. 

The travelling lamp. The sun. 

Place. A term in falconry. The liighest point 
the falcon reaches before swooping down on her 
prey. 

Minions. Darlings. 

Ravin. " Devour greedily. " Schmidt 

Scone. Near Perth. 

Colme-Eill. Or lona, an island. 

ACT III. 
Scene 1. 

Stand. Remain, continue. 

Shine. " Appear with all the lustre of conspic- 
uous truth." Johnson. 

Sennet. " A technical term for a particular set of 
notes played by trumpets or cornets, and different 
from n flourish." C. and W. 

All-thing. "Everyway." Schmidt. 

Solemn. Official, ceremonious. 

The lohich. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 270. 

1 will not. On use of will for shall, cf . Abbott, 
Grammar, § 316. 

BestoiD'd. Are settled, located. 



MACBETH. 231 

Commend you to their hacks. " Said jestingly with 
an affectation of formality." C. and W. 

While then. Till then. 

My genius is rebuk'd, seq. Cf. Antony and Cleo., 

II. 3. 19, seq. 

" Thy demon, that's thy spirit which keeps thee, is 
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable. 
Where Caesar's is not ; but near him thy angel 
Becomes a fear as being o'erpower'd." 

Fil'd. Defiled. 

Mine eternal jewel. My soul. 

Come, fate, into the list, seq. Come into the space 
marked out for battle, and there fight till death. 

Passed in probation, seq. Spent in proving to you. 

Qospelled. Controlled, governed by the Gospel. 
Reference is particularly to Matt. v. 44. 

Glept. Called. 

The valued file. A classification according to 
value. That is one wliich is more definite and ac- 
curate than a mere catalogue. 

Distance. " Alienation, hostility." C. and W. 

Bid my will avouch it. Boldly announce that I 
willed, ordered it, and that that is suflficient justifica- 
tion for it. 

Who I myself, seq. Who for whom. Cf. Abbott, 
Grammar, § 274. 

The perfect spy, seq. "If the text be right, it 
may bear one of two meanings : First, I will ac- 
quaint you with the most accurate observation of 
the time — i.e., with the result of the most accurate 
observation ; or secondly, the spy o' the time may 
mean the man who in the beginning of Sc. 3 joins 



222 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

them by Macbetli's orders and delivers their offices." 
C. and W. 

The meaning of the passage, however, is uncer- 
tain. 

Always thought that I require a clearness. Every- 
thing must be so done that no suspicion of any con- 
nection with the affair can cling to me. 

Bubs. Imperfections. 

Resolm. Decide. 

Scene 2. 

Attend,, seq. Wait upon his leisure. 

Using. Entertaining, harboring. 

Ecstasy. Extreme mental excitement, whether of 
joy or grief. Cf. IV. 3. 170 ; Hamlet, III. 4. 139. 

His iDorst. His for its. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, 
§228. 

Gentlemy lord. " The possessive adjectives, when 
unemphatic, are sometimes transposed, being really 
combined with nouns." Abbott, Grammar, § 13, 
q.v. 

Let your remembrance, seq. Be particularl}^ at- 
tentive to Banquo, and give him a foremost place at 
the banquet. 

Unsafe the ichile, seq. While I, for reasons of 
prudence, must disguise my feelings. 

Eterne. Eternal. 

Shard-borne beetle. The scaly wings or wing 
cases of the beetle. 

Yawning peal. The peal which summons to sleep. 

Seeling night. Blinding. Closing. The term is 
from falconry. Cf. Antony and Cleo., III. 13. 112. 



MACBETH. 223 

Scarf up. Tie a scarf around, and so blindfold. 
Cf. Romeo and Juliet, I. 4. 4. 

Great bond. Reference is to Banquo, the great 
bond of his life. 

Scene 3. 

Third murderer. " Some critics have thought 
that the 3d Murderer was Macbeth himself in dis- 
guise. See Furness, p. 160, and Notes and Queries 
for Sept. 11, Oct. 2, Nov. 13, and Dec. 4, 1869." Rolfe. 

Mr. Irving believes it was the Attendant, III. 1. 
Cf. Nineteenth Century, Vol. I., p. 327, seq. 

The Second Murderer states he needs not our mis- 
trust, seq. — i.e., he need not be distrusted, because 
his directions agree with those we have already re- 
ceived from Macbeth. 

Within the note of expectation. The other guests 
who are expected. 

Scene 4. 

Degrees. Ranks. 

Hostess keeps her state. Occupies the seat of highest 
honor. 

Require her welcome. ' ' Require was formerly used 
in the simple sense of to ask, not with the meaning 
now attached to it of asking as a right. Cf. Antony 
and Cleo., III. 12. 12." C. and W. 

Large in mirth. Liberal, unrestrained. 

'Tis better thee without. "That is, it (the blood) 
is better outside thee than inside him." C. and W. 
I think this is incorrect. Macbeth means it is better 
thee, the murderer, should be icithout, outside, than 
Ti6t Banquo, within, at the feast. 



224 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 



air. The air that surrounds, encloses, 
everything. 

Saucy. " Unbounded, extravagant." Schmidt. 

In timeicill venom breed. Cf. Julius Ccesar, II. 1. 
30, seq. 

Feast is sold. "It is like selling a feast, not giv- 
ing it, if you do not often assure your guests that it 
is given gladly." Kolfe. 

A-making. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 24. 

Grace us. Honor us. 

O'pro'per stuff. Lady Macbeth expresses her con- 
tempt for Macbeth's fear, and says it is stuff\ rub- 
bish. Your vision is tlie mry 'painting of your fear. 

Flaws and starts, seq. These gusts of passion are 
unreal and unmanly, seq. 

Maw. Stomach. 

Ere human statute, seq. Before the rights of the 
masses of men were carefully guarded by laws. 

To all and him we thirst, seq. To all and him I 
earnestly long, 1 thirst to drink. 

No speculation. No power of vision, no intelli- 
gence. 

If tremhling I inhabit then, seq. This is a criix, 
which has not been explained satisfactorily. It has 
been suggested that Shakespeare wrote inhibit. If 
so the meaning is, I forbid then, seq. If I do that I 
am the baby of a girl, the child of a very young 
mother, and as such puny, weak, cowardly. 

Disjjlac'd. Disturbed, disarranged. 

Admir'd. ' ' Worthy of wonder, as in Ifid. Nighfs 
Dream, Y. 1. 27, strange and admirable." C. and W. 

Overcome. Overshadow. 



MACBETH. 225 

You make me strange, seq. You surprise me. 

Augurs and understood relations, seq. ' ' To under- 
stand relations as an augur (soothsayer), is to know 
how those things relate to each other, which have 
no visible combination or dependence." Johnson. 

Self -abuse. Self-deception. 

Scene 5. 
Angerly. Angrily. 
Close. Secret. 

Acheron. The infernal river. 
Artificial. Sprites not natural, but made by art. 

Scene 6. 

Lennox is speaking ironically. What he says is 
pure irony. 

Fact. Deed. 

Tyrant. Usurper. 

Malevolence of fortune, seq. His ill -fortune, in be- 
ing deprived of his throne by Macbeth, notliing takes 
from the respect due him. 

Absolute. Peremptory. 

Turns me, seq. The messenger turns his back on 
Macduff, and hums, as much as to say. You will re- 
gret sending this answer to Macbeth. 

ACT IV. 

Brinded. Streaked. 

Thrice and once. Four times ; witches and con- 
jurers used odd numbers. 
Harpier. Name of a spirit. 
Adder's fork. The forked tongue of the adder. 



236 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAEE. 

HowleVs wing. Owlet, little owl. 

Maw. Vide note under III. 4. 

Ravin' d. Gorged. 

Hemlock. Cf. " Plant-Lore, etc., of Shakespeare," 
Ellacombe, p. 121. 

Slimr'd. Torn off. 

Chaudron. Entrails. 

Testy. Foaming, frothing. 

Germens. " Germs, seeds." Schmidt. 

Nine farroiD. A litter of nine. 

Pale-hearted fear. Vide note under II. 3. 

The round and toi^ of sovereignty. "A stately 
periphrasis, suggested by, rather than descriptive of, 
a closed crown, and including in its poetic vague- 
ness much more than the mere symbol of royalty." 
C. and W. 

Impress. Force into his service. 

A show. " A shoiD, in theatrical language, is a pro- 
cession or pantomime in which the actors remained 
silent; hence, usually called 'a dumb show.'" 
Delias. 

Eight Kings. The Eight Kings were Robert the 
Second, Robert the Third, and the six Jameses. 

Crack. "A burst of sound." Schmidt. Here 
reference is to the thunder announcing the Last 
Judgment. 

Ticofold halls and treble sceptres. Reference is to 
James VI. of Scotland, James I. of England, who was 
crowned at Scone and at Westminster, as King of 
England, Scotland, Ireland. 

Blood-holter'd. One upon whom blood has coagu- 
lated. 



MACBETH. 227 

Sprights. Spirits. 

Firstlings. The first feeling, thought, shall im- 
mediately be expressed by an action. 

That trace, seq. That follow — i.e., all who are de- 
scended from him. 

Scene 3. 

The jits o' the season. The signs of the times. 

When we are traitors. When we are believed to be 
traitors, and yet are not. 

WJien we hold rumour, seq. " When we interpret 
rumour in accordance with our fear, or when our 
reputation is derived from actions which our fear 
dictates." C. and W. 

Though in your state of honour, seq. Though I 
know you perfectly. 

Homely. Humble. 
Shag-haired. Long-haired. 

Scene 3. 

Mortal. Deadly. 

Oood. Brave. 

Birthdom. Land of our birth. 

Like syllable. Heaven responds to the icidow's 
howl, orphan's cry with a similar sound of grief. 

Recoil. Yield. Malcolm's idea is, he cannot give 
his full confidence to Macduff just yet for fear he 
may be an emissary sent by Macbeth. 

Affeer'd. Not afraid, but " confirmed, sanction- 
ed." Schmidt. 

Confineless. Boundless. 

Continent. Checking, restraining. 

The time you may so hoodwink. You may conceal 



228 HOW TO STUDT SHAKESPEARE. 

your weaknesses, frailties, from your contempo- 
raries. 

Ill-composed affection. In my nature, whicli is so 
full of evil. 

Summer-seeming. ' ' Which appears to belong to 
the heyday of youth, and to pass with it." Moberly. 

Foisons. Plenty. 

Of your mere own. Of what belongs to you. 

Portable. Can be borne, endured. 

Interdiction. ' ' Exclusion from a right. " Schmidt. 

Died every day, seq. Devoted every day to a prep- 
aration for death. 

Trains. Lures, devices. 

The chance of goodness, seq. " May the chance of 
success be as certain as the justice of our quarrel." 
C. and W. 

Convinces. Overcomes, defeats. 

The evil. The scrofula, known at that time as the 
King's evil, because the touch of a King was supposed 
to heal it. 

Modern. Ordinary, of every-day occurrence. Used 
in this sense in AlVs Well, seq., II. 3. 2 ; Romeo and 
Juliet, III. 2. 120 ; As You Like It, II. 7. 156. 

Dying, seq. Men there die not ouly before the 
flowers in their hats fade, but before they are taken 
sick, so sudden is their taking-off . 

Nice. Exact, specific. 

That were out, seq. A rumor that there was an in- 
surrection. 

Fee-grief. " A grief that has a single owner." 
C. and W. 

He has no children, Ruskin (" Modern Painters, " 



MACBETH. 229 

Vol. II., pp. 160-161) says this line is a fine example 
of Imagination. 

Hell-kite. " Kite of infernal breed." Schmidt. 

Our leave. Our leave-taking of the King. 

Pat on their instruments. Set our men to their 
work. 

ACTV. 

Macbeth, who with his army had been seeking the 
rebels (cf. IV. 3. 183), has retired to his castle at 
Dunsinane to await the approach of the English army, 
of the coming of which he has doubtless heard. 

Murky. Gloomy. 

Spoke. Vide note under I. 4. 

The dignity, seq. ' ' The queenly rank of the lady 
herself." C. and W. 

Which have walked . . icho, seq, Cf. Abbott, 
Grammar, § 266. 

Means of all annoyance. Means by which she 
might injure herself. 

Mated. Bewildered. 

Scene 2. 

TJieir dear causes. The causes of their revenge — 
viz., the murder of Malcolm's father, and of the wife 
and children of Macduff. 

The mortified man. Warburton suggests the relig- 
ious man, the man who has mortified the flesh. 
C. and W. think it means the dead man. The 
causes for revenge are so potent that even a religious 
or a dead man would be stirred to action. 

TJnrough. Unbearded. 



230 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

His distemper'' d cause. " The disorganized party, 
the disordered body over which he rules Instead of 
being like * a well-girt man,' full of vigour, his state 
is like one in dropsy." C. and W. 

Minutely revolts. Revolts that occur every minute. 

His faith-breach. His breach of faith to Duncan. 
This now breeds rebellion amongst his followers. 

Pester'd. Perplexed, embarrassed. 

Tfie medicine. Reference is to Malcolm. 

Scene 3. 

Taint. Be infected. 

All mortal consequences. All that will happen to 
men. 

English epicures. The Scotch believed the English 
were gluttons. 

Patch. Fool. 

Linen cheeks. White, pale cheeks, and as such 
expressive of fear. 

Whey-face. Pale face. 

Pxish. Assault. 

Cheer me ever, or dis-ease, seq. A crux. Furness 
suggests dis-ease, instead of disseat, which is the read- 
ing of the First Folio. " Dis-ease is the logical 
antithesis to cheer," he says. I know of no satisfac- 
tory explanation of the passage. 

Skirr. Scour. 

Oblivious antidote. An antidote that will send into 
oblivion, forgetfulness, every disturbing thought 
and emotion. 

Staff. "The general's baton." C. and "W. 
"Lance." Schmidt. 



MACBETH. 231 

Cast. " This was the word in use for finding out 
disorders by inspection of the water." Steevens. 

Scene 4. 

Chambers. That a man's home will be a safe place 
to be in. 

Discovery. Cause the scouts to err in their reports 
to Macbeth. 

Where there is advantage. None remain with 
Macbeth who can desert. Those who cannot do so 
serve him not willingly, their hearts are absent too. 

Let our just censures, seq. "In order that our 
opinions may be just, let them await the event which 
will test their truth." C. and W. 

Thoughts sjjeculative, seq. Opinions which are not 
based on facts, but on surmises. 

Scene 5. 
Forc'd. Reinforced. 
My fell of hair. Skin with the hair on. 
Treatise. Story. 

She should have died, seq. Macbeth is so hardened 
that he feels neither grief nor fear. He is desperate. 
Sooth. Truth. 
Estate of the world. The regular order of the world. 

Scene 6. 
Battle. Not the conflict, but a division, a battal- 
ion of the army. 

Scene 7. 

Tied me to a stake, seq. Reference is to bear- 
baiting, which was one of the amusements of Shake- 
speare's day in London. 



232 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Wliat's he. What instead of who. Frequently 
used by Shakespeare. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 254. 

Kerns. Vide note under I. 2. 

Undeeded. Not having been used. 

Bruited. Reported. 

Gently rendered. Easily, without a struggle given 
up, surrendered. 

Scene 8. ^ 

The Roman fool. Brutus, Cassius, Cato. 

Intrenchant. That which cannot be cut. 

Despair. Lose faith in. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, 
§291. 

Palter. Equivocate. 

Unshrinking station. His bravery in standing his 
ground. 

Paid his score. Died like a brave soldier. 

Thy Kingdom's ^learl. Nobility; the noblemen of 
Scotland. 

Scone. Vide note under II. 4. 

III. Table of Acts and Scenes in which each 
character appears. Also, number of lines 
spoken by each character. Also, grouping 
of minor characters, to be read in a read- 
ing club by one person. 

No of 
Lines. 
705 Macbeth, I, 3, 4, 5, 7 ; II, 1, 2, 3 ; III, 1, 2, 4 ; IV, 1 ; 

V, 3, 5, 7, 8. 
210 Malcolm, I, 2, 4 ; If. 3 : IV, 3 ; V, 4. 6, 7, 8. 
179 Macduff, II, 3, 4 ; I V. :^ ; V. 4. (i, 7, 8. 
134 Ross, I, 2. 3 ; II. 4 : III, 4 ; IV, 2, 3 ; V, 8. 
112 Banquo, I, 3, 4. (5 ; II, 1. 3 ; III, 1, J. 
72 Lennox, I 2 ; 11,3; III, 4, 6 ; IV, 1 ; V, 2. 
69 Duncan, I, Ji, 4. 6. 
47 Scotch Doctor, V, 1, 3. 



MACBETH. 233 



40 Porter, II, 3. 

35 Sergeant, I, 2. 

32 1st Murderer, III, 1, 3, 4 ; IV, 2. 

30 Old Siward, V, 4, 6, 7, 8. 

24 "All," I, 1, 3 ; II, 3 ; IV, 1 ; V, 8. 

24 Lord, III, 4, 6. 

23 Messenger, I, 5 ; IV, 2 ; V, 5. 

21 Angus, I, 3 ; V, 2. 

21 Son, IV, 2. 

17 2d Murderer, III, 1, 3. 

12 Menteith, V, 2, 4. 

11 Old Man, II, 4. 

11 Caithness, V, 2. 

9 Donalbaln, II. 3. 

8 3d Murderer, III, 3. 

7 Young Siward. V, 7. 

5 Servant, 111,2; V, 3. 

5 3d Apparition, IV, 1. 

5 English Doctor, IV, 3. 

5 Seyton, V, 3, 5. 

4 2d Apparition, IV, 1. 

2 1st Apparition, IV, 1. 

2 Fleance, II, 1. 

1 Attendant, III, 1. 

261 Lady Macbeth, I, 5, 6, 7 ; II, 2, 3 ; III, 1, 2, 4 ; V, 1. 

82 1st Witch, I, 1, 3 ; III, 5 ; IV, 1. 

48 2d Witch, I, 1, 3 ; IV, 1 

48 3d Witch, I, 1,3: IV, 1 

42 Ladv Macduff, IV. 2. 

39 Hecate, III, 6 ; IV, 1. 

27 Gentlewoman, V, 1. 

Lord. ) 

Attendant. ) 

Angus . I 

English Doctor, j 

Messenger . | 

Servant. j 

Menteith. 
Young Siward 
3d ^Murderer. 

Caithness. 
Sevton. 
Old Man. 

Donalbain. 
1st Apparition 
2d Murderer. 

Hecate. » 

Fleance. ) 



f 
( 
\ 



S34 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 



Gentlewoman. 

Son. 

2(i Apparition. 

Ladj' Macduflf. 

3d Apparition. 



IV. Questions. 



ACT I. 



1. From what history did Shakespeare take the 
events dramatized in this play ? 

2. What are tlie differences, what the resemblances 
between the play and that history ? 

3. What play is also supposed to have furnished 
Shakespeare with some parts of Macbeth ? 

4. Who probably collaborated with Shakespeare 
in the composition of the play ? 

5. Was belief in Witches and Witchcraft current in 
Scotland at the time the events dramatized in this 
play occurred ? 

6. Was such belief commonly received in England 
in Shakespeare's day ? 

7. What is the nature of the Weird- Sisters? 
Ans. Cf. " Lectures on Shakespeare," Coleridge, 

Bohn's Edition, pp. 370-371. 

8. What is their dramatic function in this play ? 
Ans. They constitute the Environing Action. 

They do not directly take any part in the action ; 
they do so indirectly, by their influence on Macbeth, 
which is potent, continuous, and malign. 

9. What is the meaning of hurly-burly f 

10. What is the dramatic significance of Fair is 
fouly seq. ? 

Ans. To foreshadow the intermixture, in the play, 
of good and evil, loyalty and treason. 



MACBETH. 235 

11. Does Shakespeare again strike this chord that 
vibrates through the play ? 

Ans. Cf. I. 3. 38. 

12. What description does the Sergeant give to 
Duncan of the battle that has taken place ; of the 
combatants ; of Macbeth's and Banquo's courage ? 

13. What supplementary account does Ross give ? 

14. AVhat punishment does Duncan mete out to 
Cawdor ? What reward to Macbeth ? 

15. What is the meaning of the words and phrases 
used by the Witches in Sc. 3 ? 

16. What are the first words uttered by Macbeth, 
and what is their dramatic significance ? 

17. What does Banquo say to and what of the 
Witches ? 

18. What three messages do the Weird-Sisters bring 
to Macbeth ? 

19. What effect do those messages produce on 
Macbeth ? 

20. What question and what request does Banquo 
address to the Witches ? 

21. What message do they in reply bring to him ? 

22. Just before the Witches vanish what does Mac- 
beth say to them ? 

23. What comments do Banquo and Macbeth 
make on the Witches and their messages ? 

24. What communication from the King, to Mac- 
beth and Banquo, do Ross and Angus bring ? 

25. What comments thereon do Macbeth and Ban- 
quo make ? 

26. What warning does Banquo utter to Macbeth ? 

27. What is the effect of tlie predictions of the 



236 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Weird- Sisters on Macbeth mentally, emotionally, 
morally, as revealed by him in four Asides in Sc. 3 ? 

28. Where has taken place the events recorded in 
the first three Scenes ? 

29. Where, those recorded in Sc. 4 ? 

30. What description of Cawdor and his death 
does Malcolm give ? 

31. What is the meaning of Duncan's reflection, 
There's no art to find the 7niiuVs construction, seq, ? 

32. What praises does Duncan bestow on Macbeth 
and Ban quo ? 

33. What public announcement does Duncan now 
make as to his successor on the throne ? 

34. What is the effect thereof on Macbeth ? 

35. What are the contents of the letter received by 
Lady Macbeth from Macbeth ? 

36. What is the meaning of the phrase, milk of 
human kindness ? 

37. What is Lady Macbeth's analysis of Macbeth's 
character ? 

38. Is that analysis accurate and complete ? 

39. What revelation of her own character does she 
make in her soliloquy on receipt of the letter ? 

40. What further revelation does she make on 
hearing of Duncan's approach ? 

41. Has she in these two soliloquies accurately p('r- 
trayed her character as it is manifested to Macbeth 
on his entrance a moment later, and as manifested 
in all the future of the drama ? 

42. What is the dramatic purpose of the comments 
of Duncan and Banquo on the situation and environ 
ment of Macbeth's Castle ? 



MACBETH. 237 

Ans. To contrast with the tragic which has pre- 
ceded and which immediately follows Sc. 6. 

43. "What does Sir Joshua Reynolds say on this 
subject ? 

44. With what words does Lady Macbeth greet 
Duncan ? 

45. What response does Duncan make ? 

46. What traits of his character does he, by these 
words, reveal ? 

47. What reasons why he should not murder 
Duncan does Macbeth give in his soliloquy ? 

48. What resemblance does this soliloquy bear to 
that of Hamlet, To be or not to be {Hamlet, III. 1. 56. 
seq.) ? 

49. Macbeth 's words as Ms host, toho should, 
against his murtherer, seq., are like what words of 
Lucrece ? 

Ans. Cf. Lucrece, lines 575-581. 

50. What does Macbeth say is the only spur that 
impels him in this bloody business ? 

51. To what trait in Macbeth does Lady Macbeth 
now, and again and again, appeal ? 

Ans. To his courage. She taunts him with cow- 
ardice. 

52. What words occur in Macbeth with great fre- 
quency and emphasis, probably more frequently and 
more emphatically than in any other of Shake- 
speare's plays ? 

Ans. Fear, bloody, and their cognate words. 

53. What effect does Shakespeare attain by this 
repetition ? 

Ans. He intensifies the tragic. 



238 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

54. What plans for the murder of Duncan does 
Lady Macbeth propose to Macbeth ? 

55. What is the result of the powerful influence 
she exerts on him ? 

56. Is Lady Macbeth, then, the real and primal 
cause of the murder of Duncan ? 

57. Was the motive which controlled her over- 
mastering ambition or wifely devotion ? 

ACT II. 

58. At what hour of the day do the events record- 
ed in this Act take place ? 

Ans. Between midnight and daylight, after the 
moon has gone down. 

59. What poetic description does Banquo, and 
later Macbeth (II. 1. 49, seq.), give of this time ? 

60. Has Shakespeare made the time harmonize 
perfectly with the deeds ? 

61. To what does Banquo refer. Restrain in me 
the cursed thoughts, seq. ? 

62. How does his conduct under temptation com- 
pare with that of Macbeth ? 

63. What is the meaning of, Sent forth great largess 
to your offices ? 

64. What dream did Banquo have ? 

65. What proposition did Macbeth make to Ban- 
quo ? 

66. Did Banquo accept or reject it ? 

67. Is Banquo 's decision in accordance with Hol- 
inshed's history ? 

68. Why did Shakespeare make the change ? 



MACBETH. 239 

A71S. In order to make more vivid and forceful the 
characters of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, they alone 
were made the murderers. If Banquo had been an 
accomplice, it would have detracted from that effect. 
It would have violated the artistic canon of Princi- 
pality. Cf. "Genesis of Art Form," Raymond, 
chaps, iv., V. 

69. What is the result on Macbeth of Banquo's 
decision ? 

Ans. It causes Macbeth to kill Banquo, the por- 
trayal of which and its effects constitutes Act III. 

70. What hallucination, or offspring of his over- 
wrought brain and disturbed conscience, now comes 
to Macbeth ? 

71. What classical allusions does Macbeth make 
in this soliloquy ? 

73. Who rang the bell, that was Duncan's knell f 

73. What reflections does Lady Macbeth make 
when Macbeth was in Duncan's chamber murdering 
him ? 

74. Did she drug the grooms ? 

75. What does Lady Macbeth say had restrained 
her from murdering Duncan ? 

76. What is the dramatic purpose of this ? 

< Ans. To develop Pathos. It makes manifest the fact 
that while she was a murderess in her heart, she was 
still a woman with some tender emotions. The ulti- 
mate effect of this is, by Contrast, to make her inhu- 
manity and wickedness more evident, startling and 
impressive. 

77. Who else beside Duncan did Macbeth murder, 
and why ? 



240 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

78. What terrible and overmastering revulsion of 
feeling and thought took place in Macbeth after he 
had done the deed? 

79. Was Lady Macbeth equal to the emergency ? 

80. What did she say to soothe, what to reproach, 
what to infuse courage into him ? 

81. Why did Lady Macbeth retire ? 

82. What dramatic effect does Shakespeare accom- 
plish by temporarily sending Lady Macbeth away ? 

Ans. It enables Macbeth to reveal the fact, which 
he does in a soliloquy, that he is utterly helpless ; is 
unable alone to face the consequences of his deed. 
His nature is growing in evil, is being hardened in 
crime, but has not yet reached a condition when he 
can do without Lady Macbeth's presence and sup- 
port and encouragement. Cf. III. 4. 142, seq. 

83. What pun does Lady Macbeth make just be- 
fore going on this ghastly errand ? 

84. What effect does the knocking tmtliin have 
upon Macbeth, when he is left alone ? 

85. What phrase does Shakespeare here use which 
manifests his mastery of words ? 

Ans. The multitudinous seas incarnadine. 

86. What comment does Lowell make upon this 
phrase ? 

Ans. Cf. " Among My Books," p. 161. 

87. When Lady Macbeth returns, what taunt does 
she utter to infuse courage into Macbeth ? 

88. To meet the emergency, what action does she 
suggest ? 

89. What reflection on his conduct, what wish, 
does Macbeth express ? 



MACBETH. 241 

90. Does this mark the crisis of the emotional and 
moral struggle in Macbeth's nature ? 

Ans. Yes. The next time he appears in the drama 
he is calm and brave. After this he steadily and 
rapidly becomes hardened in crime. 

91. Is the Porter Scene Shakespeare's work ? 

92. Why did Shakes]Deare introduce it ? 

Ans. To infuse a little humor into the midst of 
the tragic. By so doing he accomplishes two effects : 
I. He temporarily relieves the strain on the emotions 
of the spectators. II. He ultimately intensifies, by 
Contrast, the horror of the tragedy. 

93. Who compose the group M^hich now enters ? 

94. What is Macbeth's mental and emotional con- 
dition on his entrance ? 

95. What quality, hitherto latent, does Macbeth 
now reveal ? 

Ans. Hypocrisy. Now his false face does hide 
what the false heart doth know. 

96. What does Lennox say about the night ? 

97. Does Shakespeare elsewhere associate disturb- 
ances in Nature with great crimes ? 

Ans. Cf. Julius Ccesar, I. 2. 

98. What effect does the news of Duncan's mur- 
der have on Macduff, Banquo, Malcolm, Donal- 
bain ? 

99. From that effect what can we infer as to the 
characters of those men ? 

100. What does Macbeth say ? How does he con- 
duct himself ? 

101. Why did he give such a detailed and touch- 
ing account of the murdered Duncan ? 



242 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAEE. 

102. Have these murders wrought a change in 
Macbeth's nature ? 

103. What does Lady Macbeth say and do ? 

104. Does Lady Macbeth really swoon, or is it 
only a pretence of so doing ? 

105. Are Malcolm and Donalbain deceived as to 
the identity of the murderer of their father ? 

106. What is the nature of Sc. 4 ? 
A71S. Episodic. Nothing is done. 

107. What do Ross and the Old Man say about 
the disturbances in Nature ? 

108. What is the dramatic significance of the 
statement that Duncan's horses ate each other ? 

Ans. It symbolizes the murder of Duncan by a 
blood relation. 

109. Whom does Macduff charge with the murder 
of Duncan ? 

110. Did he believe what he said, or was he con- 
cealing his real belief ? 

Ans. Unquestionably the latter. 

111. Did he go to Scone to witness the coronation 
of Macbeth ? 

112. Why not ? 

113. What information does he give us of Mal- 
colm and Donalbain, and of Duncan's body ? 

114. What does he mean, Lest our old robes sit 
easier than our new ? 

115. This Scene is wholl}^ narrative. It rehearses 
events of which the spectators of the drama have pre- 
viously been informed. What, then, is the dramatic 
purpose of the Scene ? 

Ans. To impress those events on the minds of the 



MACBETH. 243 

spectators by means of Repetition, Alteration, Alter- 
nation. Cf. "Genesis of Art-Form," Raymond, 
chap. xii. 

ACT III. 

116. What opinion does Banquo express of Mac- 
betli's conduct ? 

117. What does he say of the prediction of the 
Weird- Sisters as to himself, and of the prospect of 
that prediction being fulfilled ? 

118. What is the dramatic purpose of this solilo- 
quy of Banquo ? 

Ans. To foreshadow and prepare for the soliloquy 
of Macbeth, which shortly follows. 

119. What invitation does Macbeth give to Ban- 
quo ? 

120. What comment does Lady Macbeth make ? 

121. Why does Macbeth inquire of Banquo, Ride 
you this afternoon ? 

122. What does Macbeth say of our bloody cousins ? 

123. Why does he speak of them ? 
Ans. To divert suspicion from himself. 

124. What inquiry does Macbeth make of Banquo 
with reference to Fleance ? 

125. When all have retired but an Attendant, what 
does Macbeth say to the latter ? 

12G. From the quick and positive manner in which 
he speaks, do we perceive a radical change has taken 
place in him ? 

127. Had Macbeth already been planning the mur- 
der of Banquo ? 

Ans. Cf. line 75, seq. 



244 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

138. What revelation of his plans and purposes 
does Macbeth in a soliloquy now make ? 

129. What is his analysis of Banquo's charac- 
ter ? 

130. Why does ha fear him ? 

131. What decision does he make ? 

182. Does Shakespeare elsewhere allude to the in- 
fluence of Caesar over Antony ? 

133. What is the meaning of Champion me to the 
utterance ? 

134. What arguments does Macbeth use to induce 
the murderers to kill Ban quo ? 

135. What response do they make ? 

136. What sundry and weighty reasons does Mac- 
beth give to the Murderers for not murdering Ban- 
quo himself, but selecting them to do so ? 

137. What final instructions does he give, particu- 
larly with reference to Fleance ? 

138. What does Macbeth mean, always thought 
that I require a clearness ? 

139. With what reflection of Macbeth's does Sc. 1 
end ? 

140. How does it compare with the decision at the 
end of Act I. as to the murder of Duncan ? 

141. From Lady Macbeth's brief soliloquy at the 
beginning of Sc. 2, is it fair to presume she was en- 
tirely ignorant of Macbeth's plot to kill Banquo ? 

142. From her remarks to Macbeth on his entrance, 
what do we infer is his emotional condition at this 
time ? 

Ans. His bravado has temporarily given way to 



MACBETH. 245 

143. Does his reply prove this conclusion to be 
correct ? 

144. What is the dramatic purport of his reference 
to Duncan ? 

Alls. I. To make more vivid, by Contrast with 
Duncan's peaceful condition, his own, which is dis- 
turbed and distressed. II. To awaken Pathos. 

145. What expressions of affection for his wife 
does Macbeth utter ? 

146. Were Macbeth and Lady Macbeth loyal and 
loving to each other ? 

147. What is the meaning of, Present him eminence f 

148. What does Macbeth say about hypocrisy ? 
What about his mental anguish ? 

149. What description of mental anguish similar 
to this does Byron give ? 

Ans. The Mind that broods o'er guilty woes, 
Is like the Scorpion girt with fire, seq. 

— The Giaour, 

150. A quick and radical reaction now takes place 
in Macbeth. What is it ? 

151. What is his co?7v/(9?'^ .^ 

153. Of what deed does he now give to Lady Mac- 
beth the first intimation ? 

153. What awful apostrophe to seeling night does 
Macbeth now make V 

154. What does this symbolize ? 

Ans. The on-coming of a moral night, with its 
attendant darkness and death. 

155. Who was the Third Murderer f 

156. Why does the Second Murderer not mistrust 
liim? 



246 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAEE. 

157. Where and at what time does the assault on 
Bauquo and Fleance take place ? 

158. What is the result of the attack ? 

159. What is the dramatic significance of Banquo's 
remark to Fleance just before he dies, Thou mayst 
revenge f 

Ans. It foreshadows Macbeth's doom. 

160. What is that of the Second Murderer's re- 
mark, We have lost best half of our affair? 

Ans. The murder of Fleance was of far greater 
consequence than that of Banquo. The former not 
having been accomplished, the prediction of the 
Weird- Sisters in reference to Banquo's issue could 
and would be fulfilled. The dread of that was agony 
to Macbeth. 

161. What is the position of this Scene (3) in the 
structure of the drama ? 

Ans. It is the acme of the Climax. Previous to that 
all is Complication ; subsequent to it all is Resolu- 
tion. Previous to that Macbeth succeeded in every- 
thing he attempted. Subsequent to that he failed 
in everything except the murder of Lady Macduff 
and her son, and the killing of Young Siward. 

162. Where does the Banquet Scene take place ? 

163. Who appears at the door and what message 
does he bring ? 

164. What is the meaning of ' Tis better thee with- 
out than he within ? 

165. What is the effect on Macbeth, as revealed in 
an Aside, of the fact that Fleance is scap'd ? 

166. What is the effect on Macbeth of the appear- 
ance of Banquo's Qhost f 



MACBETH. 247 

167. In what other plays does Shakespeare make 
dramatic use of Ghosts ? 

Ans. Cf. p. 143. 

168. Does Lady Macbeth rise to the occasion ? 

169. What reflections does Macbeth make when 
the Ghost for the first time 'Danishes? 

170. "What causes the Ghost to Re-enter ? 

Ans. Macbeth's toast to our dear friend Banquo, 
whom we miss. 

171. What does Macbeth say to the Gliost on its 
re-appearance ? 

172. What rebuke does Lady Macbeth administer 
to Macbeth ? 

173. What is admir'd disorder ? 

174. What action does Lady Macbeth take ? 

175. After the company has retired what does 
Macbeth say about Macduff ? 

176. Wliat does he decide to do ? 

177. What is the dramatic purport of this refer- 
ence to Macduff and this information about him ? 

Ans. To point to him as one of the revengers. 

178. What is, at this time, Macbeth's emotional 
and moral condition ? 

Ans. lam in blood, seq. 

179. Does Lady Macbeth taunt or chide Macbeth 
after the guests depart ? 

A71S. No. She never again reproaches him, but 
uniformly treats him with all gentleness. 

180. Is it probable, judging from this fact, that a 
change has begun in her ? 

181. Does her work in this drama end with this 
Scene ? 



248 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Ans. Yes. 

182. What is the function of Baiiquas Ohost? 
Ans. It begins the work of Retributive Justice. 

183. Is it in that respect similar to the function of 
Caesar's Ghost ? 

184. Is Sc. 5 supposed to be Shakespeare's 
work ? 

185. Where was Acheron ? 

186. What effects does Hecate say the artificial 
sprites shall produce upon Macbeth ? 

187. What does she say is mortal's cTdefest enemy? 

188. Was this true in Macbeth's case ? 

189. What is the nature of Sc. 6 ? 

Ans. I. Episodic. II. Narrative, III. Ironical. 
Lennox mentions facts, together with the explana- 
tions of them, which Macbeth or his followers would 
give. He does it, however, in such a way as to 
make perfectly evident the untruthfulness of that 
explanation, 

190. What facts does Lennox mention, and what 
explanation of them does he suggest ? 

191. What does the Lord say in reply ? 

192. What is the nature of the information given 
in this Scene ? 

Ans. Reminiscent, it recalls the past Prescient, 
it foreshadows the future. 

193. Does it in the first respect resemble the last 
Scene of Act II, ? 

194. What significant changes in the Character- 
Development of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth has 
Shakespeare portrayed in this Act ? 

195. What changes, as the result of Macbeth's 



MACBETH. 249 

crimes, are beginning to take place in the Kingdom 
of Scotland ? 

196. Has Sliakespeare, in tliis Act, botli in Char- 
acter Development and in the movement of the 
action manifested fine technique in reference to 
Progress and Gradation ? 

ACT IV. 

197. What is a brinded cat? 

198. Is it probable that lines 39-47 of Sc. 1 are not 
Shakespeare's ? 

199. What had Macbeth said in reference to seek- 
ing this interview with the Weird- Sisters? 

Ans. Cf. III. 4. 132, seq. 

200. How does Macbeth describe them when he 
addresses them ? 

201. What description of their work does he give ? 

202. Whom does the First Apparition — an armed 
AeafZ— represent ? Wliat is its message ? What com- 
ment does Macbeth make thereon ? 

Ans. Macbeth himself. Cf. V. 8. 54, seq. 

203. Does the message foreshadow Macduff as one 
of those who will revenge Macbeth's cruel deeds ? 

204. Whom does the Second Apparition represent ? 
What message does it bring ? What comment does 
Macbeth make thereon ? 

Ans. Macduff. Cf. V. 8. 15, seq. 

205. Is this message ironical ? 

206. Whom does the Third Apparition represent ? 
What message does it bring ? What comment does 
Macbeth make thereon ? 



250 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Ans. Malcolm. 

207. What further request does Macbeth make of 
the Weird- Sisters, which reveals to us the principal 
source of his saucy doubts and fears? 

208. Who are the eight kings whom the Witches 
show him ? 

209. What description of them does Macbeth 
give ? 

210. What comments on this pernicious hour and 
on the Weird-Sisters does Macbeth make ? 

211. What differences are there between Shake- 
speare's portrayal of the Witches in Act I. and the 
portrayal in this Act ? 

Ans. I. The scene is different. In Act I. they ap- 
peared in A Desert Place ; in Act IV. in A Cavern. 
II. Their messages are very different both in form 
and in contents. In each case the message is in 
harmony with the circumstances under which it is 
spoken. 

212. Does the second interview produce a very 
different effect on Macbeth from that of the first in- 
terview ? 

213. Is this difference owing to a cliange in the 
message the Witches bring, or to a change in Mac- 
beth, or somewhat to both causes ? 

214. What information dees Lennox bring ? 

215. What change has taken j^lace in Macbeth 
which he reveals in a soliloquy in Sc. 1 ? 

Ans. Vacillation, strugglings with conscience, his 
strange and self-abuse, have given place to moral 
callousness, to prompt decision, and to immediate and 
bloody action. 



MACBETH. 251 

216. What reflections does Lady Macduff make on 
her husband for his action in fleeing to England ? 

217. What does Ross respond in defence of that 
conduct ? 

218. What is the dramatic purpose of the conver- 
sation between Lady Macduff and her son ? 

Ans. To awaken Pathos. 

219. In what other plays does Shakespeare intro- 
duce children ? 

220. Is his portrayal of child-character true to life ? 

221. What warning to Lady Macduff does a 3Ies- 
senger bring ? 

222. Did she heed that warning ? 

223. What is the consequence ? 

224. Are the murders of Duncan, Banquo, Lady 
Macduff, and her son examples of what Shakespeare 
says in Troilus and Cressida, III. 3. 230, seq. ? 

" Omission to do what is necessary 

Seals a commission to a blank of danger." 

Cf. " Shakespeare Commentaries," Gervinus, 
p. 605, seq. 

225. Why did Shakespeare make Macbeth attack 
the castle of Macduff, seize upon Fife, and give to t?ie 
edge o' the sword his (Macduff's) wife, his babes, seq. ? 

Ans. I. To fill up the measure of Macbeth's in- 
iquity. II. To awaken in Macduff an overmastering 
desire for great revenge. 

236. Was Macduff the prime mover in organizing 
the forces which destroyed Macbeth ? 

227. Did Macduff with his own hands slay Mac- 
beth ? 



252 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

228. To Miiat place is the scene of the action now 
removed ? 

229. What is Macduff's mission to Malcolm ? 

230. "What arguments does Malcolm use why he 
should not accede' to Macduff's petition for aid to 
attack Macbeth ? 

231. Is Malcolm finally and fully convinced of 
Macduff's loyalty to him ? 

232. What does he decide to do ? 

233. Have lines 141-159 of Sc. 3 any vital con- 
nection with the action of the drama ? 

Ans. None. 

234. Is it fair to presume, therefore, they were not 
Shakespeare's work ? 

A71S. A great drama is organic. In it there must 
be no lay figure, not an action, no matter how trivial, 
not a word, which are not in living union with the 
drama, and do not in some way aid in producing 
the Catastrophe. This canon of dramatic art ad- 
mits of no exception. These lines (141-159) do not 
in any way aid in producing the Catastrophe, and, 
therefore, Shakespeare would not have inserted them 
in the play. 

235. What message, describing the condition of 
affairs in Scotland, does Ross bring ? 

236. What effect does it produce on Malcolm and 
Macduff ? 

237. What statement about Macbeth does Macduff 
make ? 

Ans. He has no children. 

238. What is the dramatic effect of this ? 
Ans. To awaken Pathos, 



MACBETH. 253 

239. With what decision of Malcolm and Macduff 
does Act IV. end ? 

240. What is the nature of Act IV. ? 

Ans. I. It is largely episodic. During most of it 
the action of the drama has been suspended. About 
all that has been done are the murders of Lady Mac- 
duff and her son. 11. It is also preparatory. Shake- 
speare has made every preparation for Act V., which 
is the Catastrophe or conclusion of the drama. 

ACT V. 

241. When did Lady Macbeth cease to take part 
in the action of this drama ? 

242. What change since then has taken place in 
her condition ? 

243. Is that change the normal result of her con- 
duct ? 

244. What diagnosis of her condition, its causes, 
its nature, does the Doctor give ? 

Ans. Cf. V. 1. 70, seq. 

245. Is the connection between her present con- 
dition and that of the past so intimate that the very 
words and phrases she now uses are repetitions of 
those she has previously uttered, under different 
circumstances ? 

246. What are those words and phrases, and un- 
der what circumstances has she previously used them? 

Ans. Cf. II. 2. 

247. Has Shakespeare clearly foreshadowed this 
Sleep- Walking Scene ? 

A71S. Yes. Cf. II. 2. 35-50. 



254 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

248. Has Macbeth's sleep also been disturbed by 
his crimes ? 

Ans. Cf. III. 2. 17-18. 

249. What are we to infer as to Lady Macbeth's 
physique from her reference to her little hand f 

Ans. She was not large, Amazonian, but small, 
full of nerve force, possessing a powerful will and 
demoniac energy. 

Cf. "Mad Folk of Shakespeare," Bucknill, p. 46. 

Mrs. Siddons's "Remarks on the Character of 
Lady Macbeth," in Campbell's " Life of Mrs. Sid- 
dons," Vol. II., p. 10, seq. " Shakespeare Papers," 
Maginn, 1860, p. 184. "Studies in Shakespeare," 
Fletcher, p. 109. 

250. Is Shakespeare's portrayal of Lady Macbeth, 
as driven by remorse to insanity and suicide, artistic, 
and in strict accord with Poetic Justice ? 

Ans. Perfectly so. She was a woman, fiend-like, 
as Malcolm says, but not a fiend. Her deeds were 
wicked, but her principal motive was loyalty to her 
husband and to what she believed to be his interest. 
That motive, while not wholly wrong, was vitally 
mistaken. She eventually realized that. Her moral 
nature asserted itself. As a consequence, she was 
overcome by remorse and suicidal mania. 

251. This Sleep-Walking Scene is probably the 
most intensely tragic of any in Shakespeare. It is 
not in verse, as impassioned scenes usually are, but 
in prose. Why ? 

Ans. " I suspect the matter is too sublime, too aus- 
terely grand, to admit of anything so artificial as 
the measured language of verse, even though the 



MACBETH. 255 

verse were Shakespeare's ; and that the Poet, as from 
an instinct of genius, saw or felt that any attempt 
to heighten the effect by any such arts or charms of 
delivery would unbrace and impair it." Corson, 
"Introduction to Study of Shakespeare," p. 348. 

252. What information is given in Sc. 2 of the 
English "poicer ? 

253. What of Macbeth, his mental and emotional 
condition, his plans for defence ? 

254. What further information of the movements 
of i\[acbeth's enemies is given in Sc. 3 ? 

255. What is Macbeth's description of a mind dis- 
eased and the cure therefor ? 

256. What change in Macbeth's condition is re- 
vealed by his soliloquy, and, later, by his comments 
on the physician's reports of Lady Macbeth's illness ? 

Ans. He ceases to be defiant and becomes despair- 
ing, sceptical, and desperate. 

257. Does this change become still more pro- 
nounced when he hears that Birnam forest is moving, 
and that Lady Macbeth is dead ? 

A?is. Cf . V. 5. 9, seq. 

258. How does the portrayal of Macbeth's over- 
mastering sadness and despair compare with that of 
Juliet, Romeo and Juliet, IV. 3. 14 ; of Romeo, Ibid. 
V. 3. 119 ; of Hamlet, Hamlet, V. 2. 357, seq. ; of 
Lear, Lear, V. 3. 313, seq.? 

259. Whom does Macbeth slay in the battle ? 

260. By whom is he slain ? 

261. Is Macbeth's death, with all its attendant cir- 
cumstances, in accord with the demands of Poetic 
Justice ? 



256 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

263. Who succeeds liim as Kin,^- of Scotland ? 
363. What description of Macbeth and Lady Mac- 
beth does Malcolm give ? 

264. What rewards does he promise his followers ? 

* * * * -Sf- * 

365. Is tliis play in harmony with its environment 
as to beliefs, superstitions, manners, language, char- 
acters of the hero and heroine, and in all other par- 
ticulars ? 

Ans. A comparison of Macbeth from this stand- 
point with Richard III. and Julius Ccesar will reveal 
the fact that Shakespeare has preserved perfectly in 
Macbeth local color. 

366. Who was the dominating force in the early 
part of this drama ? 

367. Who in the later part ? 

368. It is a canon of Dramatic Art that every play 
must have one hero or one heroine. Has Shakespeare 
violated this law in this drama ? 

Ans. No. Sometimes a play has both a hero and 
a heroine, but they must always be so closely identi- 
fied in their interests and work as to act as one per- 
son. Like a binary star, they reflect but one light. 
Macbeth is an example of this. So is Romeo and 
Juliet. 

369. What was the cause of Macbeth 's ruin ? 
Ans. Cf. I. 7. 35, seq. 

370. What of Lady Macbeth's ? 
Ans. Cf. I. 5. 13, seq. 

371. How does Macbeth compare, how contrast 
with Richard III. ? 

273. Ditto with lago ? 



MACBETH. 257 

273. What characters in this play has Shakespeare 
made Character-Contrasts ? 

Ans. Macbeth vs. Banquo ; Macbeth vs. Lady 
Macbeth ; Macbeth vs. Macduff ; Lady Macbeth vs. 
Lady Macduff ; Macduff vs. Malcolm. 

374. Many scenes end with rhyming couplets. 
What are those couplets ? 

275. What is the significance of this ? 

Ans. Cf. p. 35, 

V. Collateral Reading. 

The Mad Folk of Shakespeare, Bucknill, pp. 1-47. 

Lectures on Shakespeare, Coleridge, Bohn's Edi- 
tion, pp. 368-380. 

William Shakespeare, Wendell, pp. 302-313. 

Shakespeare Commentaries, Gervinus, Translation 
of F. E. Bunnett, pp. 583-610. 

Mind and Art of Shakespeare, Dowden, pp. 217- 
228. 

Shakespeare's Life, Art and Characters, Hudson, 
Vol. II., pp. 313-349. 

Excursions in Art and Letters, W. W. Story, pp. 
238-286. 

Folk-Lore of Shakespeare, Dyer, pp. 24-40. 

Introduction to the Study of Shakespeare, Corson, 
pp. 223-243 ; pp. 244-251. 

Shakespeare's Dramatic Art, Ulrici, Bohn's Edi- 
tion, Vol II., pp. 460-478. 

Characteristics of Women, Jameson, Edition of 
Routledge, pp. 404-431. 

Characters of Shakespeare's Plays, Hazlitt, 1817, 
p. 23, seq. 



258 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAKE. 

Transactions of the New Shakespeare Society, 
1875-76, p. 351. 

The England of Shakespeare, Goadby, pp. 110- 
118. 

Among My Books, James Russell Lowell, p. 186, 
seq. 

Studies in Shakespeare, Fletcher, London, 1847, 
p, 109, seq. 

New Illustrations of Shakespeare, Hunter, Lon- 
don, 1845, Vol. IL, p. 160, seq. 

On the subject of Shakespeare's Double-Time in 
this play vide the famous article of Professor John 
Wilson, Transactions of New Shakespeare Society, 
1875-76, pp. 351-387. 

Studies in Shakespeare, Richard Grant White, 
pp. 58-76. 

The Women of Shakespeare, Louis Lewes, trans- 
lation of Helen Zimmeru, pp. 258-274. 



A 
MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM 



A 

MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM 

I. The Source of the Plot. 

The Plot of this play " has no prototype," 
says Mr. Richard Grant White, " either in an- 
cient or modern story." On the other hand, 
Furness thinks it probable that there was an 
old play on this subject which " Shakespeare 
touched with his heavenly alchemy." 

Shakespeare may have taken some hints for 
it from Chaucer's Knight's Tale and Thisbe of 
Babylon. Without doubt he did make use of 
the Life of Theseus in "North's Plutarch." 
The interlude, The most lamentable Comedy and 
most cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisby, is, in 
many respects, like the tale of Pyramus and 
Thisbe in Golding's translation of Ovid. To the 
latter Shakespeare was probably somewhat in- 
debted. With the hints derived from these 
sources he has combined some of the Fairy-Lore 
which was current in his day, and with which 
he was perfectly familiar. That Fairy-Lore ap- 
pealed profoundly and intensely to his imagina- 
tion, the greatest with which man has ever been 
endowed. Its availability for the purposes of 
his art was clearly discerned by him. In this 



262 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

and in other plays he " bodies forth " the Fairies 
and their merry pranks, and with his 

"... poet's pen 
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing 
A local habitation and a name." 

The Life of Theseus can be found in Hazlitt's 
••Shakespeare's Library," Part I., Vol. I., pp. 
7-5L Extracts of the same are in " Shake- 
speare's Plutarch," edited by Skeat, pp. 278-290. 

The story of Pyramus and Thisbe from Geld- 
ing's Ovid is given in full by Halliwell in his In- 
troduction to this play, from which it is cited by 
Rolfe. Vide his edition of the play, pp. 118-120. 

The Fairy Lore of which the play contains so 
much can be found in ' ' Folk-Lore of Shake- 
speare," Dyer, chap, i., pp. 1-23. 

Cf. also Furuess's Edition of this play. Ap- 
pendix, pp. 268-296. 

Malone thinks the title of the play " was sug- 
gested by the time it was first introduced on 
the stage, which was probably at Midsummer." 
1 am inclined to believe, however, that the title, 
like the play itself, is purely fanciful. " Mid- 
summer Eve appears to have been regarded as a 
period when the imagination ran riot. We know 
that Malvolio's strange conduct is described by 
Olivia as " very midsummer madness," and A 
Midsu7mner Night's Dream, therefore, is no in- 
appropriate title for the series of wild incongrui- 
ties of which the play consists."* 



* Wright. Preface to A Midsummer NighVs Bream., p. xxiii. 



A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT^S DREAM. 263 

II. Explanatory Notes. 

ACT I. 
Scene 1. 

Lingers. Delays. Cf. Richard 11. , II. 3. 72 ; 
Othello, IV. 2. 231. On formation of transitive 
verbs, cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 290. 

Like to a step-dame, seq. Like to one who con- 
tinues to live and use the income of the estate, there- 
by depriving a young man of his revenue. 

Solemnities. Marriage festival. 

Pert. " Lively ; used in a good sense, and not, as 
now, as equivalent to something a little less than 
impudent, saucy." Wright. 

Companion. Fellow, used contemptuously. Cf. 
//. Henry LV., II. 4. 132 ; Julius Ccesar, IV. 3. 138. 

Pomp . . triumph. A festival, a public exhibi- 
tion. Bacon uses the word as synonymous with 
Masque. 

Stolen tlie impression of her fantasy. "Secretly 
stamped his image on her imagination." Wright. 

Knacks. Knick-knacks, trinkets. 

Prevailment. Influence. 

Unharden'd. Soft, impressible. 

Our law. Solon's law gave a father the power of 
life and death over his child. Shakespeare may or 
may not have known of this law. 

Wanting your father's voice. Lacking his approval 
and consent. 

To die the death. To die. " Shakespeare uses the 
expression always of a judicial punishment." 



264 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Wright. Ct Antoni/ and Cleo., IV. 14. 26; Cym- 
beline, IV. 2. 96. 

Meic'd. Shut up. 

Eartlilier happy. In an earthly, corporeal sense. 

Patent. Privilege, liberty. Cf. Othello, IV. 1.209. 

Austerity. Severity, sharp self-restraint. 

Estate. Give as an estate. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, 
§290. 

As well derived . . possessed. Of as good lineage 
and as rich. 

]f not loith vantage. As great as, if not even 
greater than, seq. 

To his head. Openly, to his face. 

Spotted. " As spotless is innocent, so spotted is 
wicked." Johnson. 

Self-affairs. My own affairs. 

Nearly than concerns. That concerns you nearly. 

Between. Allow. Cf. Hamlet, I. 2. 141. 

The course of true love, seq. Cf. " Paradise Lost," 
BookX., 898-906. 

cross ! seq. O trial, that one of high degree 
should fall in love with one of low degree. 

Misgraffed. "Ill placed." Schmidt. 

Sympathy. '* Agreement of disposition, or of for- 
tune, or of rank, or of age." Schmidt. 

Collied. Black. 

Spleen. A sudden motion. 

Fancy's. Loves. Qi. 1\1. 2. ^Q, fancy-sick ; II. 1. 
164, fancy free. 

Respects. Considers. 

To do observance to a morn of May. To keep May- 
day. 



A MIDSUMMER is^IGHl's DREAM. 265 

His best arrow loitli the golden head. Cf. p. 56. 

Simplicity of Venus' doves. Innocence of the 
doves that drew Venus' chariot. 

Carthage queen. This is an example of the license 
which Shakespeare used in converting one part of 
speech into another. Other examples are Cyprus 
icars, Othello, I. 1. 151 ; Tiber hanks, Julius Ccesar, 
I. 1. 63. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, §§ 22. 430. 

Broke, spoke. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 343. 

Fair Helena. Beautiful Helena. Cf. line 227. 

That fair again unsay. Fair is here used as a 
noun, meaning beauty. Cf As Tou Like It, III. 2. 
99 ; Sonnet XVI. 11. " 

Favour. Appearance, beauty. 

Bated. Excepted. 

Translated. Transformed. 

Faint primrose-heds. " On which those rest who 
are faint and weary." Wright, " Whether the 
Q'^WaeX faint has reference to the color or smell of 
primroses, let the reader determine." Steevens. I 
ihmXs. faint is intended by Shakespeare to describe 
both the delicate beauty and fragrance of the prim- 
rose. 

Otlier some. Others. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 21. 

Holding no quantity, seq. " Bearing no propor- 
tion to what they are estimated at by love." Schmidt. 
Cf. Hamlet, TIL 2. 177. 

Cupid painted blind. " This is a modern idea, no 
trace of it being found in the old Greek or Latin 
poets." Kolfe. 

Eyne. The Old English plural for eye. Used 
also in II. 2. 99 ; III. 2. 138 : V. 1. 178. 



266 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

It is a dear expense. The thanks which he will 
give me /or tJiis intelligence will cost me the loss of 
him, at least for a time. 

But herein mean I, seq. My recompense will be 
to have a sight of liim, when I am telling him about 

Hermia. 

Scene 2. 

Tou were best. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 230. 

Generally. Bottom uses this word to mean the 
reverse of what it usually does. He means individu- 
ally, man hy man. 

Scrip. Written document ; the list of names. 

Grow to a point. Come to a decision. Bottom 
and his fellow-actors in the interlude are but 

Hard-handed men that work in Athens here, 
Which never labour'' din their mindstill now. 

V. 1. 72-73. 

Their language must be interpreted in the light of 
this fact. 

Ask. Require. 

Condole. Bewail, mourn. 

Ercles. Hercules. Reference is to an old play of 
that name. 

To tear a cat in. To rant. 

Let me not 2)iay a woman, seq. "This passage 
shows how the want of women on the old stage was 
supplied. If they had not a young man who could 
perform the part with a face that might pass for 
feminine, the character was acted in a mask, which 
was at that time a part of a lady's dress so much in 
use that it did not give any unusual appearance to 
the scene ; and he that could modulate his voice in a 



female tone might play the woman very success- 
fully." Johnson, cited by Rolfe. 

Speak as small. As softly, gently. 

Discharge. Perform, 

French-crown-colour. "The colour of the gold 
coin of that name." Wright. 

Properties. Articles commonly used on the stage. 
The word is still used in that sense. 

Obscenely. Obscurely; free from all interruption. 

Hold or cut boic-strings. "When a party was 
made at butts, assurance of meeting was given in 
the words of that phrase : the sense of the person 
using them being, that he would hold or keep 
promise, or they might cut his how-strings, demolish 
him for an archer. " Capell. 

ACT II. 

Scene 1. 

Puck. Cf. " Folk-Lore of Shakespeare," Dyer, 
pp. 5-8. " The verse with four accents is rarely 
used by Shakespeare, except when witches or other 
extraordinary beings are introduced as speaking. 
Then he often uses a verse of four accents with 
rhyme." Abbott, Grammar, § 504, q.v. 

Sphere. Orbit. 

To dew her orbs. To bedew, w^ater the circles in 
the grass, called fairy -rings. 

Pensioners. Body-guard. 

Lob. Lubber. Term of contempt. 

Elves. Fairies. 

The king . . the queen. Oberon, Titania. 



268 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEABE. 

Fell and wrath. Fierce and angry. 

Changeling. This refers to the superstition that 
fairies stole beautiful children, and left in the place 
of them little elves. 

Trace. Wander through. 

Square. Quarrel. 

Barm. Yeast. 

A gossip's hotel. " Originally a christening cup ; 
for a gossip or godsib was properly a sponsor. 
Hence, from signifying those wlio were associated in 
the festivities of a christening, it came to denote 
generally those who were accustomed to make merry 
together." Wright. 

Grab. Apple. 

Dewlap. "Hanging breast." Schmidt. "The 
loose skin which hangs from the throat of cattle." 
Wright. 

Au7it. Old w^oman. 

Tailor. " The custom of crying tailor at a sud- 
den fall backwards, 1 think I remember to have ob- 
served. He that slips beside his chair falls as a 
tailor squats upon his board." Johnson. 

Wa.ven. Grow ; become more merry. 

Neeze. Sneeze. 

Steep. Steppe. 

Glance. " Hint." Schmidt. 

My credit with Hippolyta. The good opinion she 
has of me. 

Perigenia. Cf. " Shakespeare's Plutarch." Skeat, 
p. 279. 

The middle summer'' s spring. " The beginning of 
midsummer." Wright. 



269 



Paved. Pebbly. 

Continents. Banks. Cf . Lear, III. 2. 58 ; Ham- 
let, IV. 4. 64. 

Murrain flock. Diseased, sickly flock. 

Nine men's morris. " A game played on three 
squares cut in the turf, one within another, each 
party having nine men, which were moved some- 
what as in draughts, or checkers." Rolfe. Cf. 
Strutt's " Sports and Pastimes," IV. 2. § 13. 

Quaint mazes. Reference is to another game 
played by boys. 

Want their tcinter here. Here should probably be 
cheer, as proposed by Theobold. 

Washes. Moistens. 

Rheumatic diseases. Rheumatism, catarrh, colds 
in the head. 

Hiems. Winter. Cf . Love's Labour's Lost, V. 2. 901. 

Ghilding. Fruitful. 

Henchman. Page. 

Intend you stay. To omitted. Cf. Abbott, Gram- 
mar, § 349. 

Chide. Quarrel. 

A mermaid, seq. The mermaid's song was sup- 
posed to be destructive. Cf. Comedy of Errors, III. 
2. 45 ; III. Henry VI, III. 2. 186. 

A dolpMn's hack. Cf . p. 57. 

A fair vestal. It is generally believed that Shake- 
speare here referred to Queen Elizabeth. 

Loos'd . . smartly. Shot vigorously. 

Love-in-idleness. The Pansy. Cf. "Plant-Lore 
and Garden Craft of Shakespeare," Ellacombe, pp. 
196-197. 



270 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Put a girdle round the earth. "A common ex- 
pression for making a voyage round the world," 
Wright. 

Wode {wood) within this icood. Mad, frantic, raging 
within this icood. 

Adamant. Magnet, loadstone. 

Speak you fair. Speak kindly. Cf. Merchant of 
Venice, IV. 1. 275. 

Do not nor I cannot, seq. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, 
§ 406 ; also II. 2. 126. 

Impeach. Make questionable. 

I will not stay thy questions, seq. I will not dis- 
cuss the question any longer. Cf. As You Like It, 
III. 4. 39. ; Merchant of Venice, IV. 1. 346. 

Die upon the hand. Cf. Much Ado, IV. 1. 225. 

Wild thyme, . . oxlips, seq. For a description of 
the flowers mentioned by Oberon, cf. "Plant-Lore 
and Garden Craft of Shakespeare," Ellacombe. 

Look thou, seq. " The subjunctive after verbs of 
command and entreaty is especially common ; natu- 
rally, since command implies 2i purpose," Abbott, 
Grammar, § 369. 

Scene 2. 

A roinidel. A dance in a circle. It also means a 
part song. In this passage it is used in the former 
sense. 

Third part of a ininute. Note the small division 
of time which is in harmony with the size of a fairy. 

Rere-mice. Bats. 

Double. Forked. 

Newts. Lizards. 

Philomel. Tlie nightingale. " Philomela, the 



A MIDSUMMER-Ji^IGHT's DREAM. 271 

daughter of Paudion, was transformed into a night- 
ingale, and lamented her sad fate in the plaintive 
notes of the bird which bears her name." Wright. 
Cf. Lucrece, 1079. 

Ounce. '' Felis uncia." Schmidt. "An animal 
resembling the leopard, but much smaller. ' ' Wright. 

Pard. Leopard. 

Beshrew. Originally a mild oath. Used here 
simply to give emphasis. 

Approve. Test, prove. 

Darkling. " In the dark." Schmidt. 

Sphery. Like a sphere, a star. 

Ripe not. Have not grown to a period when my 
reason is developed and is a good guide. 

The point of human skill. Having developed, so 
that reason becomes my guide. 

Of all loves. For the sake of everything that is 
lovely. 

ACT III. 

Scene 1. 

Pat. Exactly. Cf. V. 1. 183 ; Lear, I. 2. 146. 

Tiring-house. Dressing-room of a theatre. 

By'rlakin. By our little lady— i.e., the Virgin 
Mary. Cf. Tempest, HI. 3. 1. 

Parlous. Perilous. Cf. As You Like Lt, III. 2. 45. 

More better. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 11 ; also 
Tempest, I. 2. 19. 

Eight and six. In alternate verses of eight and six 
syllables. 

Defect. Bottom's grandiloquent word for effect. 

Were pity of my life. That would be a pity, for in 



272 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

that case I would cease to be myself and become a 
lion. 

Is. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 336. 

Evert/ mother's son. Cf. I. 2. 71, 

Cue The last word of an actor's speech which 
signifies to another actor that his turn to speak has 
come. 

A play toward. A play in rehearsal, and ready to 
be acted. 

Odious. Cf. Dogberry's blunder, Comparisons are 
odorous. Much Ado, etc. , III. 5. 18. 

Juvenal. Ci. Love's Labour's Lost, I. 2. 8 : " Hoio 
canst thou part sadness and melancholy, my tender 
Juvenal? The word was affectedly used, and ap- 
pears to have been designedly ridiculed by Shake- 
speare." Wright. 

An ass-head of your own. Cf. Sc. 2, line 13, seq. ; 
also Merry Wives of Windsor, I. 4, 134 : You shall 
have an fool's head of your oicn. 

Ousel cock. Male blackbird, the bill of which is 
orange-tawny — i.e., a deep orange yellow. 

Set his wit. Match, oppose his wit. 

Thy fair virtue's force. The power of thy beaut3^ 

Oleek. Jest. " The all-accomplished Bottom is 
boasting of his versatility. He has shown, by his 
last profound observation on the disunion of love 
and reason, that he possesses a pretty turn for the 
didactic and sententious ; but he wishes Titania to 
understand that, upon fitting occasion, he can be as 
waggish as he has just been grave." Staunton, 
Upon this "Wright comments : " But a .9?<?g^ is rather 
a satirical than a waggish joke, and in this vein 



A midsummer-kictHt's dream. 273 

Bottom flatters himself lie has just been rather suc- 
cessfully Indulging." 

Not so, neither. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, § 406. 

Still. Constantly. Cf. III. 2. 345. 

If I cut my finger, seq. A cobweb was used to 
stop the flow of blood from a cut 

Patience. Endurance. 

Scene 2, 

In extremity. To an extreme degree. 

Night-rule. Revelry during the night. Cf . Twelfth 
Night, II. 3. 132, seq., where rule is used in this 
sense. 

Patches. Fools. 

Barren. Stupid. 

Nole. Head. 

Choughs. Jackdaws. 

Our stamp. Our footsteps — i.e., of the fairies. 

LatcKd. Generally means caught. Here it means 
closed. 

Of force. Of necessity. 

O'er shoes in hlood. Cf . Macbeth, III. 4, 136, seq. 

So dead. So deadly grim. 

Brave touch. Brave, heroic deed. 

Misprised. Mistaken. Cf. line 90. 

Tender. Offer. 

Holding troth. Keeping faith. 

Confounding. Breaking. 

Sighs of love, that costs, seq. Every sigh was sup- 
posed to exhaust a drop of blood. Cf. Hamlet, IV. 
7. 123 ; //. Henry VL, III. 2. 61, seq. 

Tartar's how. Cf. Romeo and Juliet, I. 4. 5, " The 



274 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Tartars were famous for their skill in archery, like 
the ancient Parthians." Wright. 

Cupid's archery. Cf. II. 1. 155, seq. 

A lover' 8 fee. "This may mean a lover's reward 
or recompense, in a general sense ; but, according 
to Halliwell, the phrase had the specific meaning of 
three kisses." Rolfe. 

Taurus. A range of mountains in Asia Minor. 

Superpraise. Overpraise. 

A trim exploit. Used ironically, a nice achieve- 
ment. 

Aby. Atone. Cf. line 335. 

Oes. Orbs. 

Two artificial gods. Like two gods creating a 
work of art. 

Warbling of one, seq. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, § 178. 

Two of the first, like coats in heraldry. "Helen 
says. We had tico seeming bodies hut only one heart. 
She then exemplifies her position by a simile — We 
had two of the first, i.e., bodies, like the double coats 
in heraldry that belong to man and wife as one per- 
son, but which, like one single heart, have but one 
crest.'* Douce. 

Hold the sweet jest up. Continue to jest at me. 

Ethiope. Probably Hermia was a brunette. 

lame. Cowardly. 

Cat. A term of contempt. Cf. Coriolanus, IV. 
2. 34. 

Canker-blossom. Hermia charges Helena with 
having destroyed Lysander's love for her as a canker 
destroys a flower. 

Curst. Shrewish. Cf . line 439. 



« 



A midsummer-kight's dream. 275 

Shrewd. Shrewish. Cf. Much Ado, etc., II. 1. 20. 

Knot-grass. Polygonum amculare. A diet of this 
was supposed to stop the growth of children. Cf. 
" Phmt-Lore and Garden Craft of Shakespeare." 
Ellacombe, p. 133. 

Cheek hy jole. ' Side by side, close together, as 
the cheek to WiQJole or jaw." Wright. 

Long of you. Owing to you. 

Acheron. The river of Hades. Shakespeare re- 
fers to it as a lake or pit. Cf. Macbeth, HI. 3. 15 ; 
Titus Andronicus, IV. 3. 44. 

Wrong. Insult. Cf. King John, III. 1. 200. 

Mffhfs swift dragons. The chariot of Night, ac- 
cording to fable, was drawn by dragons. Cf. Cym- 
beline, II. 2. 48 ; Troilus and Cressida, V. 8. 17. 

Aurora's Harbinger. The morning star. 

That in crossicays, seq. "The ghosts of self- 
murderers, who are buried in cross-roads ; and of 
those who, being drowned, were condemned (accord- 
ing to the opinion of the ancients) to wander for a 
hundred years, as the rights of sepulture had never 
been regularly bestowed on their bodies." Steevens. 

The morning's love. Some commentators think 
the reference is to Tithonus, the husband of Aurora ; 
some to Cephalus, the lover of Aurora. Halliwell 
says : ** Oberon merely means to say metaphorically 
that he has sported with Aurora, the morning's love, 
the first blush of morning ; and that he is not, like 
a ghost, compelled to vanish at the dawn of day." 
Cited by Rolfe. 

We'll try no manJiood. Will not make a test of 
your manly courage — i.e., will not fight. 



276 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

The man shall have his mare again. Probably 
a proverbial expression, meaning everything shall 
end satisfactorily. 

ACT IV. 

Scene 1. 

Coy. Caress. 

Neaf. Fist. 

Leave your courtesy. Do not remain longer un- 
covered. Put on your hat. Cf. Love's Labour's Lost, 
V. 1. 103. 

Gavalery. Same as Gavaleiro. " A gallant, a man 
of fashion. " Schmidt. 

A bottle of hay. A bundle of hay. 

Exposition. Used incorrectly, in the sense of a 
desire for. 

All ways. In all directions. Titania orders the 
Fairies to scatter. 

Our observation. Theseus refers to observance to a 
morn of May, I. 1. 167. He again refers to it in line 
131 of this Scene. 

Vaward. Vanguard, beginning. 

Cadmus. King of Phenicia and Telephassa. Was 
the reputed founder of Thebes in Boeotia, and the 
introducer of the letters of the Greek alphabet. 

Shakespeare's chronology is all wrong. For that 
he cared nothing. He was not writing history, but 
a drama. 

Spartan kind. The hounds of Sparta were famous 
as hunters. 

So fleio'd, so sanded. " Having • large hanging 
chaps . . of a sandy color." Schmidt, 



A midsummer-xight's dream. 277 

DeiD-lapp'd. Cf. Note under II. 1. 

Match'd in mouth like hells. Their cries or barks 
harmonized with each other, like the music from a 
chime of bells. 

Gaiod. Cf. I. 1. 33. 

A 'patched fool. Reference is to the motley dress 
of the fool. 

Her death. Death of Thisbe, in the play. 
Scene 2. 

Transported. "Transformed, transfigured." Wright. 
Schmidt believes it means killed, as in Measure for 
Measure, IV. 3. 72. 

Discharge. Vide note under I. 2. 

In Pyramus. For playing the part of Pyramus. 

1 am to discourse. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 405. 

Good strings to your beards. With which to tie 
your false beards. 

ACT V. 

Scene 1. 

May. " May originally meant ' to be able.' " Ab- 
bott, Grammar, § 307. Cf. Merchant of Venice, 
I. 3. 7. 

Toys. Trifles. 

Seething. Boiling. Cf. Winter's Tale, III. 3. 64. 

Compact. Composed, formed. Cf. Venus and 
Adonis, 149. 

AhroiD of Egypt. "A swarthy brow, like a gip- 
sy's. So in Othello, III. 4. 56. Egyptian is used for 
gipsy : ' That handkerchief did an Egyptian to my 
mother give.' " Wright. 

More witnesseth, seq. Indicates more than mere 



278 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

fancy or imagination. In otlier words, there must be 
some reality in it, wliich is tlie meaning of constancy 
in the next line. 

Admirable. Evoking wonder. Cf. Macbeth, III. 
4. 110. 

After-supper. Some thinly this has the meaning 
of time after tlie usual supper. Others the time after 
the rear-supper or second supper. 

Abridgment. What pastime, entertainment have 
you that will abridge, shorten the time ? Cf . Hamlet, 
II. 3. 439, where Hamlet uses the word in the two 
senses of cutting short and entertainment, 

Abrief. A paper containing a list of entertain- 
ments. 

Battle with the Centaurs. Between them and the 
Lapithse, caused by the attempt of a drunken Cen- 
taur, Eurytion, to carry off the bride of Pirithous, 
on the occasion of his marriage to Hippodamcia. 

lipsy Bncchanals, seq. Orpheus was killed by the 
Thracian rasenads when he descended to Hades and 
attempted to bring back to life Eurydice. 

Device. Conceit, fancy. 

Thrice three Muses, seq. Some think this a refer- 
ence to Spenser's poem. The Tears of the Muses. 

Critical. Fault-finding, censorious. Cf. Othello, 
II. 1. 120. 

JJnbreatKd. Unpracticed, untrained. 

Stretched. Strained. 

Simpleness. Simplicity, good intention. 

Noble respect, seq. Consideration, kindly appre- 
ciation of the motive accepts the work, not f ^r what 
it really is, but for what it is intended to be. 



A midsummer-night's dream. 279 

Clerks. Scholars. 

To my capacity. " In my opinion." Schmidt. 
" So far as I am able to understand." "Wright. 
Addressed. Ready, prepared. Of. Julius Ccesar, 

III. 1. 29 ; II. Henry IV., IV. 4. 5. 
Recorder. Flageolet or flute. 

Government. Proper control. Cf. Hamlet, III. 2. 
372. 

Certain. " A burlesque on the frequent recur- 
rence of certain as a bungling rhyme in poetry more 
ancient than the age of Shakespeare." Steevens. 

Present. Act, as in III. 1. 60. 

Think no scorn. Disdain. 

HigJit. ' ' Is called (used as a characteristic ar- 
chaism)." Schmidt. Cf. Love' s Lahouf s Lost , 1. 1. 171. 

Whereat, icith blade, seq. *' Shakespeare ridicules 
the alliteration which the poetasters of his day af- 
fected. It was an exaggeration of the principle upon 
which Anglo-Saxon verse was constructed, and 
comes again under his lash in Love's Laboin's Lost, 

IV. 2. 57-59, where Holofernes composes an extem- 
poj'al epitaph on the death of the deer, which is in- 
tentionally alliterative : / icill something affect the 
letter, for it argues facility." Wright 

Be to sjyeak. Cf. Aljbotl, Grainmnr, § 405. 

Sinister. Left. Snout uses this because it rhymes 
with whisper. 

I see a voice. Cf. III. 1. 82. 

Grace. Used here as an appellation signifying high 
rank. 

Limander . . Helen, Blunders for Leander and 
Hero. 



280 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Shafalus . . Procrus. Cepli;ilus, Procris. 

Tide. Betide. 

Mural. Probably a pedantic and affected word 
used in the sense of wall. 

80 wilful to hear. On omission of as, of. Abbott, 
Grammar, § 281. 

A lion fell, nor else, seq. I am neither a danger- 
ous lion nor a lioness. 

Were pity of my life. Of. Note under III. 1. 

Greatest error of all the rest. This is an example 
of " confusion of two constructions in superlatives." 
Abbott, Grammar, § 409. 

Well-moused. Well-shaken, torn, as a cat does a 
mouse. 

Thred and thrum. Weaver's expression, meaning 
warp and filling. 

Passion. Cf. Hamlet, II. 2. 587. 

Ace. " A single point on a die ; quibbling (here) 
with ass." Schmidt. 

Sisters Three. The three Fates. 

Shore. Shorn. The former is used instead of the 
latter so as to rhyme with gore. 

Bergomask dance. A dance of the peasantry in 
Bergamo, Italy. They were exceedingly boorish and 
clownish, both in speech and in dancing. 

Palpable-gross play. A play the grossness, stupidity 
of which is palpable. 

Screech-owl. Cf. Macbeth, II. 2. 3, 4. 

Frolic. Merry. 

To stoeep the dust, seq. Robin Goodfellow was 
supposed to help good housemaids and to punish in- 
dolent or inefficient ones. 



A MIDSUMMER-KTGHT^S DREAM. 281 

Dance it. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 226. 

Bride-bed . . shall blessed be. The blessing of the 
bridal bed was a part of the marriage ceremony. 

If we have unearned luck. If we are lucky, be- 
yond what we deserve. 

Scape the serpent's tongue. If we have not been 
hissed. 

Gim me your hands. That is, applaud me. 

Coleridge says of Puck's speeches, lines 378-397, 
430-445 : " Very Anacreon in perfectness, propor- 
tion, grace and spontaneity ! So far it is Greek ; 
but then add, O ! what wealth, what wild ranging, 
and yet what compression and condensation of 
English fancy ! In truth, there is nothing in Ana- 
creon more perfect than these thirty lines, or half so 
rich and imaginative. They form a speckless dia- 
mond." "Lectures on Shakespeare," Bohn's Edi- 
tion, p. 292. 

III. Table of Acts and Scenes in which each 
character appears. Also, number of lines 
spoken by each character. Also, group- 
ing of minor characters, to be read in 
a reading-club by one person. 

No of 
Lines. 

279 Bottom. 1. 2 ; III, 1 ; IV, 1, 2 ; V, 1. 

242 Theseus. I. 1 : IV. 1 : V, 1. 

224 Oberoii, II, 1, 2 ; III, 2 ; IV, 1 : V, 1. 

206 Puck, II, 1. 2; III, 1, 2 ; IV, 1 : V. 1. 

178 Lysander, I, 1 ; II. 2 : III. 2 : I V. :! ; V, 1. 

142 Demetrius, I. 1 : II, 1, 2 : III, 2 ; IV, 1 ; V, 1. 

134 Quince. I, 2 ; III, 1 ; IV. 2; V, 1. 

57 Flute, I, 2 ; III, 1 ; IV, 2 ; V, 1. 

41 Egeus. I, 1; IV, 1. 

»4 Philostrate, V. 1. 

23 Snout, I, 2 ; III, 1 ; V, 1. 



^B2 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

15 Snug, 1,2; IV, 2 : V, 1. 
13 Starveling, I, 2 ; III, 1 ; IV, 2 ; V, 1. 
1 "All," I, 2. 
229 Helena, I, 1 ; II, 1, 2 ; III, 2 ; IV, 1. 
165 Herraia, I, 1 ; II, 2 ; III, 2 ; IV, 1. 
143 Titania, II, 1, 2 ; III, 1 ; IV, 1 ; V, 1. 
52 Fairy, II, 1.2. 
36 Hippolyta, I, 1 ; IV, 1 ; V, 1. 
G Mustardseed, III, 1 ; IV, 1. 
5 Peaseblossom, III, 1 ; IV, 1. 
5 Cobweb, III, 1 ; IV, 1. 
3 Moth, III, 1. 
Hippolyta. | 
Moth. f 

Philostrate. | 
Mustardseed. J 
Cobweb. J 

Fairy. J 

Snug. ) 

Peaseblossom. f 

IV. Questions. 

ACT I. 

1. What do Mr. Richard Grant White andFurness 
say of the Plot of this play ? 

2. From whence did Shakespeare probably derive 
some hints for his Plot ? 

3. What probably suggested the title of the play ? 

4. Where does the action take place ? 

5. At what time ? 

G. How long does the action last ? 

Ans. Four days, but only one night. It begins 
April 29th and ends May 1st. 

7. Does Shakespeare in this and in other plays 
make a difference between dramatic time and natural 
time? 

Ans. Cf. pp. 47, 48. Also, Preface to Furness's 
edition of this play, pp. xxvii.-xxxiv. 



DKEAM. 283 

8. Who were Theseus and Hippolyta ? 

9. What was Shakespeare's usage in forming 
transitive verbs ? 

10. Who was Philostrate ? 

11. What command does Tlieseus give to him ? 

12. What does Theseus say to Hippolyta about 
tlie way in which he will wed her ? 

13. What group of four persons now enters ? 

14. What does Egeus say about his daughter's 
lovers ? 

15. Is this charge similar in some respects to that 
of Brabantio against Othello ? 

Ans. Cf. Othello, I. 3. 60, seq. 

16. Of what law of Athens does Egeus pray the 
enforcement ? 

17. What does Theseus say to Hermia ? 

18. What response does she make ? 

19. What is said by the rival lovers to Egeus ? 
30. What decision does Theseus announce ? 

21. To what business, in which he must employ 
Demetrius and Egeus, does Theseus now refer ? 

22. What description of the course of true love 
does Lysander give ? 

23. Is this intended by Shakespeare to foreshadow 
the troubles of the two pairs of Athenian lovers ? 

24. What plan for evading the sharp Athenian law 
does Lysander outline to Hermia ? 

25. What reply does Hermia make ? 

26. What is the signilicance of Cupid's best arrow 
with the golden head ? 

27. By what else does Hermia swear to meet Ly- 
sander at the time and place he appoints ? 



284 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

28. Who now enters ? 

29. "W hat does Helena say of Demetrius ? 

30. What do Lysander and Hermia say to her 
about their phins for flight ? 

31. What does Helena, in a soliloquy, reveal to us 
of her feelings and her plans ? 

32. Has Shakespeare foreshadowed the entrance 
of the Athenian youth? 

Ans. Cf. I. 1. 11, seq. 

33. Who now enter and what was the business of 
each man ? 

34. In what work were they engaged ? 

35. What comments does each man make on the 
part assigned him ? 

36. How were women's parts acted on the Eliza- 
bethan stage ? 

37. What meeting-place for the following night 
does Quince appoint ? 

38. What is the meaning of hold or cut bowstrings? 

39. What other comic group does this one suggest ? 
Ans. Dogberry and the Constables in Much Ado 

About Nothing. 

40. What dramatic purpose does Shakespeare at- 
tain by making Lysander and Hermia, and also the 
Athenian mechanicals, leave the city ? 

Ans. It enables him to remove the scene of the 
action from the city to the woods. 

41. The characters in this play constitute four 
groups. What are they ? 

Ans. I. Theseus and Hippolyla and their attend- 
ants. II. The two pairs of lovers. HI. The Athe- 
nian mechanicals. IV. The Fairies. 



A midsummer-night's dream. 285 

42. Which of them have been introduced in 
Act I. ? 

43. Have the causes of the action of the drama 
been clearly set forth in this opening act ? 

44. What were those causes ? 

Ans. I. The love of Lysander and Hermia for 
each other, which conflicts with the wish and de- 
termination of Egeus that Hermia shall marry 
Demetrius. II. The love of Helena for Demetrius, 
whom he rejects for Hermia. III. The betrothal of 
Theseus and Hippolyta, which necessitates the fes- 
tivities for which the Athenian mechanicals are pre- 
paring. 

45. Has the action been quite accurately and com- 
pletely foreshadowed ? 

Am. Yes. Cf. I. 1. 132, seq. 

ACT II. 

46. Where does the action of the drama take place 
during this and the two succeeding Acts ? 

47. Why does Shakespeare make the change from 
the city of Athens to the woods ? 

Ans. To enable him to transfer the action from 
real life to dreamland, to fairyland. 

48. Who was Puck ? 
Ans. Cf. II. 1. 32-42. 

49. What kind of work did he do ? 
Ans. Cf. II. 1. 42-57. 

50. What was his special function ? 

Ans. He was the jester at the fairy court, Cf. III. 
2. 120, 121. 

51. What was his special function in this drama ? 



286 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Ajis. To assist in producing the comic effect. 

52. What does the Fairy say of lierself and her 
work ? 

53. What is a lob of spirits? 

54. What statement of the estrangement between 
Oberon and Titania, and of its causes, does Puck 
give ? 

55. Of whom is Titania jealous ? 

56. Witli whom does Oberon charge Titania with 
being in love ? 

57. What is the dramatic purpose of this reference 
by the king and queen of the Fairies to Theseus and 
Hippolyta ? 

A?is. To make evident the close relation and 
strong influence of the latter upon the Fairies, who 
play so important a part in carrying forward the 
action of this drama. By means of it Shakespeare 
connects the mortals in the drama with the Spirits ; 
the natural with the supernatural. 

58. What progeny of evils, caused by the debate, 
dissension between her and Oberon, does Titania 
describe ? 

59. What demand does Oberon make of Titania as 
the price of reconciliation ? 

60. What is Titauia's answer ? 

61. What threat against Titania does Oberon make 
in retaliation for her refusal to yield to his demand ? 

62. What is the dramatic purpose of this ? 

Alls. To foreshadow the joke and all its conse- 
quences, which Oberon plays on Titania. 

63. Upon what mission does Oberon now send 
Puck? 



A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT^S DREAM. 287 

64. Is it generally believed that Shakespeare in tlie 
words imperial, votaress, seq., refers to Queen 
Elizabeth ? 

65. What details does Oberon give of his plan to 
torment Titania for the injury she has done him ? 

66. What is the dramatic function of the juice of 
the tiower lom-in-idleness ? 

Ans. By means of it, as used by Puck, Shake- 
speare effects the Complication of the drama. 

67. Has this interview between Demetrius and 
Helena been foreshadowed ? 

Ans. Yes. Cf. I. 1. 226, seq. 

68. What expression of her feeling toward Deme- 
trius does Helena make ? 

69. What does Demetrius say in reply ? 

70. After Demetrius' exit, what avowal of her pur- 
pose does Helena make ? 

71. What comment thereon does Oberon make ? 

72. What does Puck bi-ing to Oberon ? 

73. What does Oberon say he will do with the juice 
of this flower ? 

74. What flowers does Oberon mention as growing 
on the hank where sleeps Titania some time in the 
night? 

75. What command in reference to Demetrius does 
Oberon give Puck ? 

76. What dramatic purpose has Shakespeare ac- 
complished by bringing Demetrius and Helena into 
the wood wdiere are Oberon and Puck ? 

Ans. He has brought into still closer and more 
intimate relation the mortals in this play with the 
Fairies ; the natural with the supernatural. 



288 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEA.RE. 

77. What is a roundel ? 

78. What were the offices of the Fairies, as de- 
scribed by Titania ? 

79. Who was Philomel ? 

80. What does Oberon do to Titania and what does 
he say when doing it ? 

81. Has Shakespeare foreshadowed this action of 
Oberon ? 

Ans, Cf. II. 1. 176, seq. 

83. What pair of lovers now enter ? 

83. Has Shakespeare foreshadowed this appear- 
ance of Lysander and Hermia in the woods ? 

Arts. Cf. I. 1. 208-224. 

84. What do Lysander and Hermia say ? 

85. What do they do ? 

86. What commission of Oberon's does Puck now 
attempt to execute ? 

Ans. Cf. II. 1. 259-268. 

87. What mistake does Puck make ? 

88. What is the dramatic purpose of this ? 

Ans. To increase still further the Complication of 
the drama. 

89. Who now enter ? 

90. What is Shakespeare's purpose in making 
Demetrius' effort to escape from Helena successful ? 

A ns. To leave Helena alone, so that Lysander, on 
awaking, should see only her and fall in love with 
her. 

91. What does Helena say in a soliloqu}^ ? 

92. Has the juice of the Hower which Puck pours 
on Lysander's eyes produced the effect Oberon said 
it would ? 



A MIDSUMMER- N-IGHT'S DREAM. 289 

93. What does Lysander say to Helena ? 

94. How does Helena receive his avowal of love ? 

95. Has Lysauder's passion for Hermia changed 
from love to hate ? 

96. What does Hermia say on awaking and find- 
ing herself forsaken ? 

97. Has the Complication of the drama still further 
progressed ? 

ACT in. 

98. What is the dramatic nature of the rehearsal 
of the heiwpen homespuns f 

Ans. It is a comic interlude. 

99. What ulterior purposes does Shakespeare effect 
by it? 

Ans. I. He travesties his own art, the histrionic. 
II. He makes evident the fact that in the actor's art 
imagination is necessary. 

100. 'WhoX is, ^ parlous fear ? 

101. What does Quince mean when he says the 
prologue shall he written in six and eight? 

102. What comment does Puck make on the re- 
hearsal ? 

103. What effect does he have on the actors ? 

104. How is Bottom made up ? 

105. How, and by whom, was the ass's nole -^Mt on 
him? 

Ans. Cf. III. 3. 13, seq. 

106. What is the dramatic purpose of this act of 
Puck? 

Ans. It aids very materially in increasing the 
Complication of the drama. 



390 HOAV TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

107. What effect is produced by Bottom's appear- 
ance with the ass's nole ? 

Ans. Cf. III. 1. 93 ; III. 2. 19-34. 

108. After Snout and Quince have returned, 
what comment do they make on Bottom's make- 
up ? 

109. What does Bottom say ? 

110. What does he do ? 

111. Does the juice from the flower produce on 
Titauia the effect Oberon predicted ? 

112. What does she say to Bottom ? 

113. Wliat comment on reason and love does Bot- 
tom make ? 

114. What commands to lier Fairies, relating to 
Bottom, does Titauia give ? 

115. What does Bottom say to those Fairies ? 

116. Wiiy does Shakespeare make Titania, the 
Fairy queen, fall in love, not with a mortal, even a 
hempen home-spun one, but with an ass ? 

Ans. To make her mistake more radical, and, 
therefore, more forceful and more comic. 

117. What report does Puck make to Oberon of 
the result of the juice of the flower on Titania ? 

118. Also, of its effect on the Athenian's eyes? 

119. Of what does Hermia accuse Demetrius ? 

120. What does he reply ? 

121. On her exit what does he do ? 

122. Does Oberon now discover Puck has made a 
mistake ? 

123. What was that mistake ? 

124. What measures does he immediately take to 
correct that mistake ? 



A MIDSUMMEU-NIGHT S DREAM. 291 

125. What command does Oberon give to the 
Flower of this jJurple dye ? 

126. What report does Puck bring to Oberon ? 

127. What comment does he make on the lovers ? 

128. Who now enter ? 

129. Has Puck brought Helena near the sleeping 
Demetrius ? 

130. Is Lysander still engaged in making love to 
her ? 

131. Does she still think he is doing so for merri- 
ment ? 

132. Who now awakes and sees Helena ? 

133. Has the juice from the flower changed radical- 
ly his feelings toward Helena ? 

134. How does Helena now receive his protesta- 
tions of love ? 

135. What dispute now takes place between Ly- 
Sander and Demetrius ? 

136. What change in them has Shakespeare 
wrought ? 

Ans. From being rival lovers of Hermia they 
have forsworn her and become rival lovers of 
Helena. 

137. What reproaches does Hermia utter against 
Lysander ? 

138. Does Helena think Hermia is jesting, and 
that she is one of this confederacy , formed to make 
sport of her ? 

139. What does she say to Hermia, and what reply 
does Hermia make ? 

140. Do Lysander and Demetrius become involved 
in the war of words ? 



292 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

141. Does Lysander utterly repudiate and reject 
Hermia ? 

142. Does Helena still believe Hermia and Ly- 
sander and Demetrius are all insincere and are pre- 
tending to quarrel for the sole purpose of making 
sport of her ? 

143. What bitter reproaches does she heap on 
Hermia ? 

144. What description of Hermia does Helena 
give ? 

145. What does Lysander add to that ? 

146. Are Lysander and Demetrius also angry with 
each other ? 

147. What determination have they formed when 
they make their exit ? 

148. What is the meaning of Hermia's charge 
against Helena, all this coil is long of you? 

149. Is the Complication of the Plot now com- 
plete ? 

Ans. Yes. 

150. Is this Scene (III. 3) the Climax of the 
drama ? 

Ans. Yes. 

151. From this time forward does everything in 
the drama tend to Resolution, the resolving of all 
the difficulties of the Plot ? 

Ans. Yes. 

152. For what negligence or wilful mistake of 
Puck does Oberon chide him ? 

153. What excuse does Puck make ? 

154. What opinion does he express ? 
Ans. Cf, III, 2. 352, 353. 



A midsummer-night's dream. 293 

155. What measures does Puck, acting under 
orders from Oberon, now take to accomplish the 
Resolution of the drama ? 

Ans. I. To prevent the duel between Lysander 
and Demetrius. II. To crush an Jierb into Lysander' s 
eyes, and by that means to cause him to lose his in- 
fatuation for Helena and to regain his love for 
Hermia. 

156. What was the ultimate effect of this ? 
Ans. Cf. III. 2. 370-373. 

157. What action does Oberon say he will take to 
release Titania's charmed eye from monster's view ? 

158. What request of her will he make for her In- 
dian boy f 

159. What do Puck and Oberon say, just before 
parting, in reference to spirits ? 

160. What is the ultimate result of this ? 
Ans. Cf. III. 2. 461-463. 

ACT IV. 

161. At the beginning of this Act what is Titania 
doing ? 

162. Who attend on her and Bottom ? 

163. What orders does Bottom give to the Fairies ? 

164. What music does Bottom prefer ? 

165. What does he desire to eat f 

166. What dramatic purpose does Shakespeare ef- 
fect by this ? 

Ans. By revealing Bottom's mortal grossness, it 
makes more manifest the contrast between him and 
Titania, an airy spirit, the result of which is to make 



294 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

her infatuation for liim tlie more monstrous and 
droll. It thus develops the comic. 

167. What effect does Titania's dotage have on 
Oberon ? 

168. What information about Titania's changeling 
child does Oberon give ? 

169. What does Oberon do for Titania ? 

170. Why does he and not Puck release the fairy 
queen ? 

Ans. Because he and not Puck has cast the spell 
on Titania. Cf. II. 2. ^6, seq. Shakespeare, there- 
fore, by making Oberon release Titania preserves 
Sj'^mmetry and Balance. 

171. What does Oberon order Puck to do for 
Bottom ? 

172. What change takes place in Titania ? 

173. Who now enter ? 

174. When did Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus last 
appear ? 

175. At what time of the day do they now appear ? 

176. Why does Shakespeare make them enter just 
as the day dawns ? 

Ans. Because the night being ended the Dream 
of this Midsummer Night approaches its conclusion. 

177. What is Shakespeare's purpose in making 
this reference to hounds and hunting ? 

Ans. To preserve local color. 

178. What does Hippolyta say of her hunting ex- 
periences with Hercules and Cadmus ? 

179. Who are the nymphs upon whom the royal 
party now comes ? 

180. What does Theseus say about Hermia ? 



A midsummer-night's dream. 295 

A71S. Cf. I. 1. 88-90. 

181. What does Lysander say ? 
Ans. Cf. I. 1. 156-178. 

182. What change has taken place in Demetrius' 
feelings toward Helena ? 

18-?. AVhat statement of their experiences do tlie 
four lovers give ? 

184. What does Bottom say about his dream ? 

185. Has the Resolution of the drama made con- 
siderable progress in Sc. 1 of this Act ? 

Ans. Yes. I. Titania has been cured of her in- 
fatuation for Bottom, and has been reconciled to 
Oberon. II. Lysander and Demetrius have returned 
to their first loves. III. Bottom has been re trans- 
formed from an ass to an Athenian mechanical. 

186. Where takes place the remaining part of the 
action of this drama ? 

187. What do Bottom's fellow-actors say about his 
absence ? 

188. What announcement does Snug make of the 
marriage of the Duke, and of the marriages of two 
or three lords and ladies? 

189. What directions does Bottom give to those 
who are to take part in the play ? 

ACT V. 

190. What forms the subject of this Act ? 

Ans. The festivities attending the weddings of 
Theseus and Hippolyta, and of the two pairs of 
Athenian lovers. 

191. What does Theseus say of TJiese antique 
fables . . these fairy toys of these lovers? 



296 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

193. Is this, and is it intended by Shakespeare to 
be, perfectly descriptive of this play ? 
Ans. Undoubtedly. 

193. What are the spoi-ts that are ripe ? 

194. What play does Theseus select ? 

195. What description of the actors does Philos- 
trate give ? 

196. What reasons does Philostrate give to Theseus 
to induce him not to select the play he did ? 

197. Why does Theseus reject them ? 

198. What does Theseus say to Hippolyta in an- 
swer to her objections ? 

199. Is it probable that Quince's Prologue was in- 
tended by Shakespeare to be not only a Prologue to 
the play of the Athenian mechanicals, but also to his 
own play, in which he attempts to portray Fairyland, 
and to dramatize the Dream of a Midsummer Night f 

Ans. Yes. 

200. What comments on Quince's Prologue do Ly- 
sander, Hippolyta, Theseus make ? 

201. What criticism on the play does Hippolyta 
make ? 

Ans. Cf. V. 1. 207. 

202. What is Theseus' response thereto ? 
Ans. Cf. V. 1. 208, 209. 

203. Does Shakespeare in this describe accurately 
the attitude of mind toward a drama which students 
and spectators must maintain ? 

Ans. Yes, undoubtedly. Cf. "Shakespeare. His 
Mind and Art," Dowdeu, pp. 61-63. 

204. What amusing comments do the spectators of 
the play of the Athenian mechanicals make ? 



297 



205. What is a Bergomask ? 

206. What reply does Theseus make to Bottom's 
inquiry, Will it please you to see the epilogue ? 

207. With wliat words of Theseus does the human 
element in this drama cease ? 

208. What is the dramatic sii^nificance of his 
words, 'tis almost fairy time? 

Ans. They prepare for the entrance of the Fairies 
with which the play ends. 

209. What, in conclusion, do Oberon, Titauia, 
Puck say ? 

210. Are these concluding verses of the Fairies a 
part of the action of the drama, or are they an Epi- 
logue ? 

Ans. An Epilogue. 

211. Is this conclusion dramatically and poetically 
in perfect harmony with the play ? 

212. Does Shakespeare in this Act bring together 
all the four groups of characters who have carried 
forward the action ? 

* * * * * * 

213. What is the nature of this play ? 

Ans. It is more a Masque than a drama. In it 
Shakespeare is more a poet than a dramatist. The 
Plot is very simple ; there is little or no develop- 
ment of Character ; there is very little portrayal of 
Passion ; nor is there much dramatic movement. 
Hence, it is almost as difficult to analyze it as it 
would be to analyze the fragrance of a flower, the 
song of the bird. The play must be studied not so 
much in the bare light of facts as with the imagina- 
tion. Cf. p. 164. 



^98 HOW TO STUDY SHAAJiittJ^iiJAKifi. 

214. How does Shakespeare, in the words put into 
Puck's mouth, describe the play ? 

A71S. Cf. V. 1. 411, 412. 

215. In what other plays does Shakespeare intro- 
duce a Masque ? 

Ans. As You Like It, V. 4. 114, seq. ; Henry VIII. , 
I. 4. 64, seq. 

216. What is the Main Action of this drama ? 
Ans. The love affairs of tlie two pairs of Athenian 

lovers. Vide question 241. 

217. What is the theme of the drama ? 

Ans. The course of true love never did run smooth, 
seq, I, 1. 134. 

218. What examples of Balance and Proportion 
are tliere in this play ? 

Ans. Tlieseus vs. Hippolyta ; Lysander vs. Her- 
mia ; Demetrius vs. Helena ; Oberon vs. Titania ; 
Py ramus vs. Thisbe. 

Each pair of lovers vs. every other pair. 

The Athenian mechanicals vs. the Fairies. 

219. Shakespeare in his plays introduces three 
kinds of supernatural beings. What are they ? 

Ans. Ghosts, Weird-Sisters. Fairies. 

220. What is the nature of the Fairies ? 

Ans. They are innocent, merry, full of sport. 
They love flowers and all beautiful things in Nature. 

221. What other name did Titania have ? 
Ans. Queen Mab. 

222. What description of her does Mercutio give ? 
A71S. Cf. Romeo and Juliet, I. 4 53-94. 

223. In what respects is Puck like, in what un- 
like Ariel ? 



A MIDStTMMEll-KIGHT*S DREAM. 299 

224. Does Shakespeare's portrayal of Ariel mani- 
fest more perfect technique and greater Art than his 
portraj^al of Puck ? 

A71S. Yes, undoubtedly. 

225. Is the same true of his portrayal of the Spirits 
in the Tempest as compared with those in this play ? 

226. Is this more than any other of the plays like 
the Tempest? 

227. AVhich is the more perfect of the two ? 
Ans. The Tempest. That is the product of Shake- 
speare's genius when it was at its maturity. 

228. How does Lysander compare, how contrast 
with Demetrius ? 

229. Ditto, Hermia with Helena ? 

230. How does Sliakespeare's characterization of 
Bottom, as a comic portrayal of humble life, com- 
pare with that of Dogberry ? 

231. In what other dramas has Shakespeare intro- 
duced a play within a play ? 

Ans. Hamlet, The Taming of the Shrew. 

232. What anachronisms are there in the play ? 

Ans. He has presented English Fairies in combi- 
nation with Theseus and Hippolyta, who belong to 
the mythic age of Greece. The Athenian mechan- 
icals are very similar to English peasants in Shake- 
speare's day. "The play," says Wright, "is thor- 
oughly English from beginning to end." Preface 
to his edition of the play, p. xv. 

There are many minor anachronisms — e.g., St. 
Valentine, IV. 1. 138. 

233. With what rites was May-day celebrated in 
England at the time of Shakespeare ? 



300 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Ans. Cf. " Folk-Lore of Shakespeare," Dyer, 
p. 287. 

234. Ditto, Saint Valentine's day ? 
Ans. Ibid., p. 280. 

235. Ditto, Midsummer-Eve ? 

Ans. Ibid., p. 206 ; also pp. 299-300. 

236. Does Shakespeare in the play of the Athenian 
mechanicals satirize the players of his day, and as 
well the euphuism of the playwrights ? 

237. In the comments of Theseus, Hippolyta, Ly- 
sander, Demetrius, does he satirize the audiences of 
the Elizabethan theatres ? 

238. There is no Pathos in this play. Why ? 
Ans. Because there is an absence of anything 

tragic. 

239. What three forms of composition does Shake- 
speare use in this play ? 

Ans. Prose, Blank-Verse, Rhyme. 

240. What is his usual custom for the use of each 
of these forms ? 

Ans. He expresses impassioned feeling by means 
of Blank -Verse—e g., I. 1. 156-178. 

When he is speaking of the practical affairs of 
life, in dealing with which there is an absence of in- 
tense emotion, he uses Prose — e.g., I. 2 ; IV. 1. 180 
to end of the Scene. Here the lovers speak in Verse, 
the prosaic Bottom in Prose. 

He frequently uses Rhyme as a repartee — e.g., 
I. 1. 180-223. Also, to express a settled determina- 
tion, a mind made up — e.g., II. 1. 144-145; II. 1. 
243, 244 ; IV. 1. 183, 184. 

The Fairies speak and sing in a metre of their own. 



A MIDSOIMER-i^IGHT'S DREAM. 301 

On this subject, cf. "English Lessons for English 
People," Abbott and Seeley, pp. 147-149; "The 
Philosophy of Style," Herbert Spencer, pp. 30-32 ; 
" The Interpretation of Literature," Crawshaw, pp. 
25-28, 70-76. 

241. "What are the Sub-Actions in this drama ? 

V. Collateral Reading. 

Illustrations of the Fairy Mythology of A Mid- 
summer-Night's Dream, Halliwell-Phillips. 

Fairy Mythology, Keightley, p. 325, seq. 

Shakespeare Primer, Dowden, pp. 71, 72. 

Fairy Mythology of Shakespeare, Ritson, pp. 173- 
217. 

Shakespeare Commentaries, Gervinus. Transla- 
tion of F. E. Bunnett, pp. 187-203. 

Lectures on Shakespeare, Coleridge, Bohn's Edi- 
tion, pp. 289-293. 

William Shakespeare, Wendell, pp. 105-116. 

Shakespeare, His Mind and Art, Dowden, pp. 
59-64. 

Comedy and the Uses of the Comic Spirit, George 
Meredith. 

Swifter than the Moon's Sphere, II. 1. 7, and Shake- 
speare's Astronomy, F, J. Furnivall, Transactions 
New Shakespeare Society, 1877-1879, pp. 431-450. 

The Women of Shakespeare, Louis Lewes, Trans- 
lated by Helen Zimmern, pp. 156-159. 

Characters of Shakespeare, Hazlitt, 1817, p. 128, 
seq. 

Literature of Europe, Hallam, 1839, Vol. II., p. 
387, seq. 



302 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Shakespeare Characters, Charles Cowden Clarke, 
1863, p. 97, seq. 

Introduction to Leopold Shakespeare, Furnivall, 
p. xxvl. 

Hudson's Edition of this play. Introduction, p. 7, 
seq. 

Lectures on Shakespeare, Schlegel. Translation 
of J. Black, 1815, Vol. IL, p. 176, seq. 

Shakespeare's Dramatic Art, Ulrici, Bohn's Edi- 
tion, Vol. IL, p. 72, seq. 

Notelets on Shakespeare, Thorns. Chapter on 
Shakespeare's Elves and Fairies, pp. 35-112. 

Curiosities of Literature, D' Israeli, Article on 
Masques. 

On the subject of Masques, cf. English Dramatic 
Literature, Ward. 



KIlsTG EIOHAED THE THIED 



KING- RICHARD THE THIRD 

. The Source of the Plot. 

Shakespeare derived the history of Richard 
the Third, which he has dramatized in this play, 
from the Chronicles of Hall and Holinshed. 
They, in turn, are indebted for their facts to Sir 
Thomas More's " Life of Richard III." "The 
play," says "Wright, " is the historical narrative 
[of Sir Thomas More, as incorporated by Hall 
and Holinshed in their Chronicles] dramatized, 
and the only scene of importance for which 
some hint has not been supplied in the history 
is the second scene of the first Act, in which 
Richard woos the widow of Prince Edward. 
This and the various appearances of the old 
Queen Margaret are introduced in defiance of 
historic trathand probability for the simple pur- 
pose of stage effect." Preface to the Clarendon 
Press Edition of the play, p. vi. 

In the same Preface, pp. vii.-lvii., will be 
found, reprinted in full, all the parts of Hall's 
Chronicles used by Shakespeare. 

Those from Holinshed can be found in 
" Shakespeare's Holinshed," W. G. Boswell- 
Stone, pp. 343-424. Mr, Boswell- Stone has 



306 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAKE. 

made a critical and exhaustive comparison of 
the Chronicle and the play. 

All the passages from More, Hall, and Hol- 
inshed illustrative of the play can be found in 
Rolfe's Edition of Richard III, pp. 167-180. 

At the time Shakespeare wrote his play there 
were two other dramas on this subject— one in 
Latin, by Dr. Thomas Legge, Ricliardus Ter- 
tius ; the other in English, The Trve Tragedie of 
Richard the Third, seq. It is not likely that 
Shakespeare made any use whatever of the for- 
mer. There is one line, and only one, in the 
latter — viz., Kichard's exchimation, A horse, a 
horse, a fresh horse, which is like a line in 
Shakespeare's play. Iti V. 4. 7, 13, Shakespeare 
puts into Richard's mouth the words : A horse I 
a horse! my kingdom for a horse ! 

The former of these plays can be found in 
Hazlitt's " Shakespeare's Library," Part IL, Vol. 
I., pp. 135-220. The latter is in the same vol- 
ume, pp. 51-129 ; also in the Doubleday and 
McClure Edition of this play. 

II. Explanatory Notes. 

ACT L 

Scene 1. 
" In point of time, the play begins imme- 
diately after the conclusion of the Third Part 
of Henry VI. Henry's murder b}^ Richard took 
place in the Tower on the night of Tuesday, the 
31st of May, 1471 ; his body was brought to St. 



Kliq^G EICHARD THE THIRD. 307 

Paul's on the eve of Ascension Day, and on the 
following morning — that is, on Ascension Day 
itself — he was conveyed to Chertsey to be buried 
there. The play, therefore, opens on Ascen- 
sion Day, which in 1471 was on May 23 ; un- 
less we suppose that the first and second scenes 
were on different days, in which case the 
play begins on May 32." Wright. 

In the first Act Shakespeare does not dramatize 
the events in the order in which they occurred. 
The arrest and murder of Clarence took place 
in 1478. The funeral of Henry VI., which fol- 
lows this in the drama, took place in 1471. 

In studying the play, it must constantly be 
borne in mind that Shakespeare was writing not 
a history, but a drama. Cf. p. 146. 

Kichard was born October 2, 1452. He was 
created Duke of Gloucester in 1461. 
Sun. " The quartos have sonne and the folio Son. 
There may be a play upon the word, and there is 
certainly an allusion to the heraldic cognizance of 
Edward IV., which was a sun, in memory of the 
three suns that are said to have appeared at the 
battle of Mortimer's Cross when he defeated the 
Lancastrians." Rolfe. 

Alarums. The trumpet call or beat of drum by 
which the attack of an enemy was announced. 

Measures. Dances, which were stately and for- 
mal. Cf. Borneo and Juliet, I. 4. 10 ; Richard 11. , 
I. 3. 291, seq. ; Much Ado, II. 1. 80. 

Barbed steeds. Steeds harnessed and armed, ready 
for battle. 



308 Ho^y to study Shakespeare. 

Fearful adversaries. Adversaries to be dreaded, 
feared. 

Ee. War. 

A^nUing. Moving "affectedly, as in a dance." 
Schmidt. 

Feature. " The whole exterior personal appear- 
ance ; not as now confined to the countenance." 
Wright. 

DissemhUng nature. Nature that gives a false 
appearance or form. Cf. II. 1. 8. 

Deform' d, unfinisNd, seq. Holinshed's descrip- 
tion of Richard is : " Litle of stature, ill featured of 
limmes, crooke backed, his left shoulder much 
higher than his right, hard fauoured of visage, and 
such as is in states called warlie, in other men other- 
wise. " 

Lamely and unfashionable. On the ellipsis of the 
adverbial inflection in unfasliionahle, cf. Abbott, 
Grammar, § 397. 

Halt. Limp. 

Piping time of peace. " The pipe and tabor were 
signs of peace, as the drum and fife were symbolical 
of war." Wright. Cf. Much Ado, II. 3. 13-15. 

Descant. To comment. 

Induction's dangerous. Beginnings that are full of 
danger. Cf. IV. 4. 5. 

Mew'd up. Imprisoned. Cf. line 133 ; also Mid. 
Nighfs Dream, I. 1. 71. 

A pi'ophecy. An account of this prophecy is given 
by both Holinshed and Hall. 

Belike. Likely. 

Cross-roiD. The alphabet. Nares says: "So 



KING RICHARD THE THIRD. 309 

called, according to some, from the cross anciently 
placed before it, to indicate that religion was the 
chief end of learning ; or, as others say, from a 
superstitious custom of writing the alphabet in the 
form of a cross by way of charm." 

Toys. Fancies, imaginings. Cf. Hamlet, I. 3.6; 
Othello, III. 4. 156. 

My Lady Grey. Widow of Sir John Grey. She 
was five years older than Edward, to whom she was 
married privately on May 1, 1464. 

Tempers Mm. Influences. Cf. Two Gentlemen of 
Verona, III. 2. 64. 

Worship. Honor, dignity. 

Our way. The best plan for us to pursue. 

O'er-worn widow and herself. The Queen and 
Mistress Shore. 

Gossips. Cf. p. 268. 

Straitly given, seq. Given strict orders. 

Were best. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, §§ 230, 352. 

Abjects. Slaves. 

King Edward's widoic. Gloucester's contemptuous 
reference to the Queen. 

Enfranchise. Cf. p. 116. 

Lie for you. Shakespeare makes a double play on 
the word. I shall be imprisoned for you, and, if 
necessary, I shall falsify for you. Cf . line 148. 

Fear him. Fear for him. 

By St. Paul. Richard's favorite oath. Cf. I. 2. 
36, 41 ; I. 3. 45 ; III. 4. 78 ; V. 3. 216. 

George. Duke of Clarence. 

Waricick's youngest daughter. " Anne Neville, 
betrothed, if not married, to Edward, Prince of 



310 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAKE. 

Wales, son of Henry VI. Cf. III. Henry VL, HI. 
3. 343 ; IV. 1. 118. 

IkUl'd her husband, Cf. III. Henry VL, V. 5. 

The which. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, ^ 370. 

Another secret close intent. His purpose to secure 
the throne. 

By marrying her, seq. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, 
§435. 

Scene 3. 

Obsequiously. As befits the funeral rites. 

Key-cold. A proverbial expression to denote ex- 
treme cold, Cf . The Rape of Lucrece, 1774. 

Invocate. Invoke. 

Windows. "Metaphorically applied to wounds, 
not the usual and natural passage." Schmidt. 

Hap. Fortune. 

Prodigious. Monstrous. Qi. Mid. Night's Dream, 
V. 1. 419. 

Unhappiness. " The active capacity for mischief. 
Anne wishes that the child which shall succeed to 
the father's power of doing mischief may be marked 
at its birth as a monster. " Wright. Cf. Much Ado, 
II. 1. 361. 

Advance. Raise. Cf. V. 3. 364. 

Halberd. "A battle-axe fixed to a long pole." 
Schmidt. 

Curst. Shrewish. Cf. Mid. Night" s Dream, HI. 
3. 300 ; Taming of the Shrew, I. 1. 185 ; I. 3. 70, 138 ; 
II. 1. 187. 

E.vclaims. Outcries. Cf. IV. 4. 135 ; also Ab- 
bott, Grammar, § 451. 

Presence that exhales, seq. Reference is to the be- 



KIJs^G RICHARD THE THIRD. 311 

lief, at that time prevalent, that the wounds of a 
murdered person bled afresh in the presence of the 
murderer. 

Quick. Alive. Cf. Hamlet, V. 1. 137; Acts x. 
42 ; Hebrews iv. 13. 

Butchered. " It is worth while to draw attention, 
once for all, to the unusual number of instances in 
this play in which the participial termination ed is 
accentuated." Wright. 

By circumstance. By a detailed statement. Cf. 
line 80. 

Diffused infection. This phrase is meant by Anne 
to be an antithesis to Gloucester's divine perfection. 
The meaning maybe "shapeless," Schmidt; "ir- 
regular, uncouth," Johnson. 

Note the frequent antitheses in this conversation 
between Anne and Gloucester. 

Current. Having currency, of real value. 

Edward's hand. Edward helped to murder the 
young prince. Cf. ///. Henry VI., V. 5. 

Foul throat, thou liest. Cf. pp. 24, 77. 

Holp. Helped. 

Betide. " Happen to, befall." Schmidt. Used 
again in I. 3. 6, intransitively. It there means, to 
become. 

Cause, ami . . effect. Used here " as a compre- 
hensive phrase to denote the whole of any action 
from beginning to end, and Anne, perhaps, means to 
imply that the murder of Henry and his son was 
altogether the work of Richard, who was both 
prompter and executioner." Wright. For a similar 
play upon words, cf. Hamlet, II. 2. 101-103. 



312 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Basilisks. A fabulous creature whose look was 
supposed to be deadly. Cf. Gymbeline, II. 4. 107 ; 
III. Henry F/., III. 2. 187. 

Remorseful. Pitiful, compassionate. 

Smoothing. Flattering. 

Presently. Immediately. 

Crosby House. Built in 1466 by Sir John Crosby. 
After his death, in 1475, it became the residence of 
Richard when Duke of Gloucester. It is still standing. 

Expedient. Expeditious. 

Tressel and Berkeley. It is not known who these 
men were. 

All the world to nothing. On the one side All the 
world, on the other nothing, and yet to win her. 

Some three months since. ' ' Three weeks would have 
been nearer the mark. The battle of Tewksbury was 
fought on the 4th of May, 1471, and Henry's body 
was taken to Chertsey on Ascension Day, May 23." 
Wright. 

Debase. Lower. Rolfe has abase. 

The golden prime. The early part of life. 

All not equals. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 305. 

A beggarly denier. A coin of very small value. 
Cotgrave says it was " valued at the tenth part of 
an English pennie." 

At charges. At the expense of. 

Entertain. Employ. 

Turn yon fellow, seq. Bury. 

Scene 3. 

Brook it ill. Bear it ill. 
Quick. Lively. 



KIKG RICHARD THE THIRD. 313 

Nor none. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, § 406. 

Determined, not concluded, seq. Decided, but not 
officially announced. 

Miscarry. Reference is to his impending death. 

Countess Richmond. " Margaret, daughter of John 
Beaufort, first Duke of Somerset. Her first husband 
was Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, by whom 
she had one son, afterward King Henry YII. ; her 
second was Sir Henry Stafford (uncle to the Duke of 
Buckingham in this play) ; and her third the Lord 
Stanley, who is here addressed." — Rolfe. 

But now. Just now. Cf. Merchant of Venice, III. 
2. 169-171. 

Atonement. Reconciliation. 

Warn. Summon. 

Cog. Cheat. 

Silken. Foppish, effeminate. 

In all this presence. Of those who are here present. 

Lewd. Base. 

Makes him to send. Of his own free-will sends. 

Noble. A gold coin, worth 6s. 8d. Note the pun 
on ennoble, noble. 

Hap. Fortune. 

Suspects. Suspicious. 

The mean. The cause. The quartos have cause 
instead of mean. 

Marry. "An exclamation supposed to have been 
derived from the name of the Holy Virgin." 
Schmidt. Here used to express indignant surprise. 
Note the pun on the word. 

Baited. Harassed, as if attacked by dogs. Cf. 
Twelfth Night, III. 1, 130. 



314 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Adventure. Risk. 

Orey. Sir John Grey. He commanded Marga- 
ret's cavalry. 

Margaret's battle, seq. Second battle of St. Al- 
ban's, fought February 17, 1461. So called because 
Margaret was victorious. 

Poor Clarence, seq. Cf. ///. Henry VL, V. 1. 
Clarence was the son-in-law of Warwick. 

On Edward' s party , seq. On Edward's side. 

Ghildish-foolish. Compound adjective. Cf. Ab- 
bott, Grammar, § 3. 

Cacodcemon. Evil spirit. 

Hear me, you wrangling, seq. " Steevens ob- 
serves with great justice : ' Surely the merits of 
this scene are insufficient to excuse its improba- 
bility. Margaret bullying the court of England in 
the royal palace is a circumstance as absurd as 
the courtslwp of Gloucester in a publick street.'" 
Wright. 

PilVd. Pillaged, robbed. 

Gentle mllain. Margaret uses gentle ironically, 

Mak'st. Doest. Cf. Hamlet, I. 2. 164. Note the 
pun on mak'st, marfd. Cf. Love's Labour's Lost, 
IV. 3. 190-192. 

Scorns. Jibes, taunts. Cf. Hamlet, III. 1. 70. 

Clout. A piece of cloth or linen. 

Plagu'd. Punished. 

Northumberland . . wept. Cf. ///. Henry VL, 
I. 4, 150. 

Stall'd. Installed. 

TJnlooh'd. " Unlooked in the sense of unlooTcedfor 
is peculiar to this play." Wright. 



KING RICHARD THE THIRD. 315 

Mnsh-mark' d. Having disfiguring marks on thee, 
put there by some fairy. 

Hog. Reference is to the white boar which was 
on Richard's armorial bearings. Other references 
in the play to the same subject are III. 2. 11 ; IV. 5. 
2 ; V. 3. 7. 

The slam of nature. This is a contemptuous ex- 
pression, and probably means very debased. 

Rag of honour. An expression of contempt. 

Vain flourish, seq. "Mere empty ornament of 
that rank which is rightly mine." Wright. 

Bottled. Swollen. Full of venom. 

Bunch-hack'd. Hump-backed. 

Malapert. Pert, saucy. 

Fire-new. Brand-new, like a coin newly 
struck. 

Aery. The brood of an eagle. 

Sun . . son. Note the pun. Cf. Borneo and Ju- 
liet, III. 5. 127. 

My charity. " The charity shown me." Rolfe. 

Now fair befall thee. May good fortune betide 
thee. Cf. III. 5. 47. 

Bespect. Care for, regard as of any importance. 
Cf. Juliiis Ccesar, IV. 3. 69. 

Soothe. Flatter. 

Frank' d up. A frank was ** an enclosure for 
swine, a sty." Schmidt. 

Scath. Harm, injury. " Catesby, who now en- 
ters and plays such a conspicuous part in the drama, 
was Sir William Catesby, of Asliby St. Leger, who 
was Sheriff of Northampton 18 Edward IV., and 
under Richard was Chancellor of the Exchequer, 



316 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

and either Attorney-General or Speaker of the House 
of Commons." Wright. 

Set abroach. Started, caused. Cf. Borneo and 
Juliet, I. 1. 111. 

Gulls. Dupes. 

Piece of Scripture. Cf . Merchant of Venice, I. 3. 
99-103. 

Tour eyes drop mill-stones, seq. " A proverbial 
expression to weep mill-stones = not to weep at all, 
to remain hard and unfeeling as a stone." Schmidt. 

Scene 4. 

Heamly. Sadly. 

Faithful man. A man who has faith, a believer, 
not an infidel. Cf, Merchant of Venice, II. 4. 38. 

Burgundy. " After the battle of Wakefield, where 
their father was slain, Richard and Clarence, with 
their mother, found refuge at the court of the Duke 
(of Burgundy) ; and when the Duchess of Clarence 
died there was an attempt made to bring about a 
marriage between Clarence and the heiress of Bur- 
gundy." Wright. 

Unvalued. Invaluable. 

"Clarence's dream," says Schlegel, "proves the 
omnipotence of the poet's fancy." 

The melancholy flood. The river Styx. 

That sour ferryman. Charon. 

Warwick, seq. Cf. ///. Henry VI., V. 1. 

Fleeting. Fickle. 

A shadow like an angel. Cf. TIL Henry VL, V. 5. 

No marvel . . though, seq. No wonder if. 

In me. On me. Cf. line 28. 



KI:N"G RICHARD THE THIRD. 31? 

My guiltless wife. Isabel, eldest daughter of War- 
wick. She died December 12, 1476. 

For unfelt imaginations, seq. In place of imagin- 
ings which are not real, tJiey often feel a world of 
restless cares. 

A point of wisdom. It would be wise in you to 
do so. 

ril not meddle with it, seq. " Very noteworthy, 
as a point of high dramatic art in harmony and 
unity of moral aim, is the occurrence of a speech 
upon conscience here from a rough fellow like this 
murderer, and the occurrence of another upon con- 
science afterwards from the royal hero-villain of the 
play (V. 3. 179 fol.). Compare the diction of the 
two speeches, the profound ethical lesson contained 
in the two speeches, and the perfectly characteristic 
and poetic appropriateness of each of these two 
speeches, and then say whether our Shakespeare be 
not indeed a writer to learn from and to glory in." 
Clarke. 

Take the devil, seq. Listen to, be controlled by 
the devil, and believe not conscience. 

A tall fellow. Brave, daring fellow. 

Costard. A humorous expression for the head. 

Quest. Inquest, jury. 

Convict. Convicted. 

By courseoflaiD. " The Act for Clarence's attainder 
was passed in the 17 Edward IV., and on February 
8, 1477-78, the Duke of Buckingham was appointed 
Lord High Steward of England, to see the sentence 
carried out. Clarence's death was on February 18." 
Wright. 



318 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Erroneous mssals. Mistaken, misled servants. 

Receive tJw sacrament. You took an oath to fight 
for the house of Lancaster. 

Oallant-springing. " Putting forth the fair prom- 
ise of his youth." Wright. The same figure is em- 
ployed in III. Henry VI., II. 6. 46-51. 

Mill-stones. Vide note under Sc. 3. 

Labour. Work for. 

Come thou on my side. Addressed to the 2d Mur- 
derer, whose conscience was the more sensitive. 

ACT II. 

Scene 1, 

Embassage. Message. 

Dissemble not, seq. Do not merely conceal your 
hatred, but swear your love. 

Dally. To trifle, to play. Cf. I. Henry IV., N. 
3. 57. 

Embracements. Embraces, 

Hardly borne. Is taken ill. 

My noble cousin Buckingham. Buckingham's 
grandmother and Richard's mother were sisters. 

Lord Orey. The queen's second son by her first 
husband. 

Too lag. Too tardily. 

Nearer in bloody thoughts, seq. Reference is to the 
Queen's kindred. Cf. Macbeth, II. 3. 146. 

The forfeit, seq. The life of Stanley's servant has 
"bQCOViiQ forfeit or forfeited by his murderous deed. 
Stanley now prays to the king that that servant's life 
may be saved. 



KIK^G RICHARD THE THIRD. 319 

Lap. Wrap. 

Thin. Thinly covered. 

Hastings. He was Lord Chamberlain. 

Scene 2. 

" The two children of Clarence were Edward 
Plantagenet, Earl of Warwick, who was beheaded 
by Henry VH., November 21, 1499, and Margaret 
Plantagenet, afterwards Countess of Salisbury and 
mother of the famous Cardinal Pole. She suffered 
the same fate as her brother May 27, 1541. The 
Duchess of York was Cicely Neville, daughter of 
Ralph, Earl of Westmoreland." Wright. 

Cousins. This term describes those who are not 
in the closest degrees of relationship. The children 
of Clarence are grandchildren of the Duchess of 
York. Cf. II. 4. 9. 

Incapable. Not yet old enough to understand. 

Visor. The upi)€r part of the helmet, which cov- 
ered the forehead and eyes. 

Two mirrors, seq. The Duchess refers to Edward 
and Clarence. 

One false glass. Gloucester. 

Reduce. Bring back. Cf. V. 5. 36. 

Parcelled. Divided among them, each one having 
a part. The griefs of the Duchess were general — i.e., 
included them all. 

Cloudy. Sullen. Cf. Macbeth, III. 6. 41 ; /. Henry 
IV., III. 2. 83. 

Me seemeth. To me it seemeth. 

Fet. The quartos \\2C7q fetched. 

Harm apparent. Harm that appears, that really is. 



820 now TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Censures. Judgments, opinions. 

Sort occasion. Seek occasion. 

Consistory. Any council or solemn assembly. 

Scene 3. 

I promise you. I assure you. 

Seldom comes the better. A proverbial expression. 

Land . . govern' d . . child. Cf , Ecclesiastes x. 16. 

Nonage. Minority. During his minority there is 
hojje of government in his council. When he attains 
his majority he himself shall i\iQ\i govern well. 

Haught. Haughty. 

Sort it so. Ordain it so. 

Cannot reason almost. Can hardly reason with, 
seq. 

Proof. Experience. 

Scene 4. 

Gracious. Full of grace, goodness. 

Onaw a crust, seq. Gloucester, so the rumor was, 
was born with teeth. Cf. ///. Henry VI., V. 6. 75. 

Parlous. Dangerous. A corruption of perilous. 

Shreicd. Shrewish, sharp-tongued. Cf. Mid. 
Night's Dream, III. 2. 323. 

Pitchers have ears. A common proverb, quoted 
again in The Taming of the Shrew, IV. 4. 52. Means 
" we may be overheard." Schmidt. 

To jut. To encroach upon. 

To joy a?id weep, seq. To joy over their gain, to 
weep over their loss. Cf. Macbeth, I. 3. 60, 61. 

To sanctuary. To Westminster. Vide note under 
III. 1. 



kin^Ct kichard the third. 321 

So betide to 7ne. Whatever happens to me I shall 
be loyal to you. 

ACT III. 
Scene 1. 

" The Lord Mayor met the young king at Hornsey 
Park, on Sunday, 4 May, 1483." Wright. 

Cardinal Bouchier. He " was made a cardinal 
and elected Archbishop of Canterbury in 1464. He 
died in 1486. " Malone. 

Your chamber. The city of London. 

Cousin. Vide note under II. 2. 

Distinguish of a man. Cf. Hamlet, III. 2. 69. 

God he knows. Cf. I 3. 212 ; III. 1. 26. On inser- 
tion of pronoun, cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 243. 

Jumpeth. Coincides with. 

Slug. Cf. Comedy of Errors, II. 2. 196 : " Dromio, 
thou drone, thou snail, thou slug, thou sot." 

Perforce. By force. 

Peevish. Childish. 

Sanctuary. " A sacred place. Especially a sacred 
asylum affording protection from any persecution." 
Schmidt. 

Senseless-obstinate. Your obstinacy is without rea- 
son. On Compound Words, cf. Abbott, Grammar, 
§§ 428-435. 

Weigh it but icith the grossness, seq. Meaning is 
uncertain. Rolfe thinks Verplanck's explanation 
is the most satisfactory : " Examine it with the 
plainness and simplicity of our times — not ceremo- 
niously and traditionally, with reference to strict re- 
lidous usa2:es and old customs." 



322 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEA.RE. 

/ do not like, seq. Of all places I dislike the 
Tower the most. 

Did Jidhis Ccesar build f seq. " Some write that 
lulius Csesar bnilded in this lande the Castels of 
Douer, of Canturburie, Rochester and the Towre of 
London, seq." Stow's Chronicles, ed, 1580, p. 34. 

Re-edified. Rebuilt. 

RetaiVd. Related, retold. 

Winiout characters fame lives long. Characters, 
' used quibblingly in its sense of written signs, and 
in its sense of marked dispositions, referring appar- 
ently to Julius Caesar's renown, and really to the 
young prince's cleverness. " Clarke. Gloucester here 
moralizes (i.e., deduces) two meanings in one word. 

The formal Vice, Iniquity. In the old Moralities 
he was the counterpart of the Harlequin on the 
modern stage, Shakespeare refers to him in Hamlet, 
HI. 4. 98 ; Twelfth Night, IV. 2. 134 ; 11. Henry IV., 
III. 2. 343, and elsewhere. 

Lightly. Generally, commonly. 

Too late. Too lately. 

Beholding. Beholden, indebted, 

I iceigh it lightly. I do not attribute much value 
to it. 

Like an ape. " The reproach seems to consist in 
this : at country shows it was common to set the 
monkey on the back of some other animal, as a hear. 
The Duke, therefore, in calling himself ape calls his 
\\nc\ehear." Johnson. 

Sharp-promded wit. Keen, quick, ready wit, 

Clarence' ghost. On omission of the s, cf. Abbott, 
Grammar, § 471. 



KIXG KICHAKD THE THIRD. 323 

Incensed. Instigated. 

Parlous. Dangerous. 

Divided councils. "That is, a private consulta- 
tion, separate from the known and public council." 
Johnson. Cf. III. 2. 20. 

Lit blood. Murdered. Cf. III. 2. 50 ; also Julius 
Ceesar, III. 1. 152. 

3Iist?'ess Shore. She became Hastings' mistress 
after the death of Edward IV. 

The movables. Cf. Richard 11. , II. 1. 162: "The 
plate, coin, revenues, and movables." 

Kindness. Willingness, as quartos have it. 

Scene 2. 

The boar hath rased, seq. Vide note under I. 3. 

Without instance. Without cause. 

To the death. Even if the result of my refusal be 
death. 

They . . their. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 243. 

Packing. Cf. I. 1. 146. 

His head upon the bridge. Reference is to the cus- 
tom of exposing upon London Bridge the heads of 
those who have been executed. 

The holy rood. The cross or crucifix. 

I misdoubt. Mistrust. 

Wot. Know. What do you know ? 

A pursuivant. A messenger or attendant upon a 
herald. 

Oramercy. From the French, Grand merci, much 
thanks. 

Sir John. The title Sir was applied to priests and 
curates. Cf. Twelfth Night, IV. 2. 



324 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Will content you. Will satisfy you. Cf. Othello, 
III. 1. 1. 

Scene 3. 

Closure. Enclosure. 

Richard the Second here, seq. Cf. Richard II., 
V. 5. 

Margaret's curse. Cf. I. 3. 210, seq. 

Then curs'd she Buckingham. A. mistake. Mar- 
garet, when cursing Rivers and Hastings, exempted 
Buckingham. Cf. I. 3. 280-284. 

Expiate. ' ' As expiate is now used to express ' to 
annul by atonement, to cancel by reparation, to blot 
out by making redress,' so we think the word is 
here used for ' annulled, cancelled, ended.' " Clarke. 
On the form of the word, cf. Abbott, Grammar, 
§§ 342, 

Scene 4. 

Hall states the meeting described in this scene 
took place on June 13, 1483, at 9 o'clock in the 
morning. 

Is all tilings, seq. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 335. 

Wants but nomination. All that is lacking is the 
specification of the time. 

Inward, Intimate, 

There are several slight differences between the 
text of this scene in the folios and that in the quartos. 
This applies in some degree to the whole play. 

Tour cue. Cf, pp. 9, 272. 

My lord of Ely. John Morton, Bishop of Ely, and 
afterward Archbishop of Canterbury. 

" The incident of the strawberries, which is re- 
lated by More, shews that Richard affected to be in 



Kli^G RICHARD THE THIRD. 325 

an unusually good humour that morning." Wright. 
Cf . lines 49-60 following. 

Marry, and icill, seq. " Marry, to affirm any- 
thing, = indeed, to be sure." Schmidt. 

Prolonged. Delayed. 

Livelihood. Liveliness, animation. The quartos 
have liklelwod, which Wright explains as "sign 
from which any probable inference could be drawn." 
It is so used in AlVs Well, I. 3. 128. 

Ar7n. Cf. III. Henry VI., III. 2. 154-156. 

Fond. Foolish, confiding. 

Foot-cloth horse. The foot-cloth was a covering 
that came down nearly to the feet of the horse. 
Horses so caparisoned were used only for quiet rid- 
ing. Hence the stumbling of Hastings' horse was 
significant. 

The priest. Cf. III. 2. 107. 

Is lighted. Has alighted upon. 

FearfulVst. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 473. 

Scene 5. 

Distraught. Distracted. 

Wagging. Moving. 

Attainder ofsusjject. Suspicion. 

Covert' St. Most secret. 

Fair befall. Vide note under I. 3. 

Would have had you heard, seq. Cf. Abbott, 
Grammar, § 411. 

Haply. Perchance. 

And to that end, seq. "And is frequently found 
in answers in the sense of you are right and, or y^.i 



326 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAllE. 

and, the yes being implied, seq." Abbott, Grammar, 
§97. 

Post. Haste. 

Meetest vantage. Fittest opportunity. 

A citizen. Burdet, a Warwickshire squire. He 
was beheaded for a hasty speech. 

Luxury. Lust. 

Baynards Castle. This was Richard's residence. 
It stood on the north banlv of the Thames, between 
Paul's Wharf and Blackfriars. 

To take some privy order. To give some privy or- 
der. Cf. IV. 2. 54. 

Scene 6. 

Seen in thought. In silence. Not spoken of. 
Scene 7. 

His contract with Lady Lucy. ''Lady Lucy was 
Elizabeth Lucy, tlie daughter of one Wyatt, and the 
wafe of one Lucy, who had been a mistress of the 
King before his marriage. In order to prevent this 
marriage, his mother alleged tint there was a con- 
tract between him and Dame Lucy ; but on being 
sworn to speak the truth, she declared that the King 
had not been affianced to her, though she admitted 
his intimacy with her." Malone. 

Statuas. Cf. Julius Ccesar, II. 2. 76. 

Intend. Pretend. 

Descant. FwZe note under I. 1. 

As I can say nay to thee, seq. If you can play your 
part as well as I can, seq. 

Tlie leads. "That is, the flat roof covered with 
lead." Rolfe. 



KII^G KICHARD THE THIRD. 327 

I dance attendance. I am waiting for admission. 

Love-bed. Sofa. Tiie quartos have day-bed. Cf. 
Twelfth Night, II. 5. 54. 

God defend. The quartos read Ood forbid. 

Their beads. Beads of tlie rosary. 

To know, seq. By which to know. 

Disgracious. Ungracious. 

SJiouldefd. " Thrust violently out of place, as by 
one shouldering another in a crowd." Wright. 

Uecure. To cure, to heal. 

Successively. By succession, inheritance. 

JInmcritable. Undeserving. 

The ripe revenue. " The possession ready for me 
to inherit." Wright. 

Much I need, seq. I need much to be able to help you. 

Contract. Betrothed. 

By substitute. By proxy. 

Pitch. The highest point reached in flight by a 
falcon. 

Bigamy. " Bigamy, by a canon of the Council of 
Lyons, a.d. 1274 (adopted in England by a statute 
in 4 Edward I.), was made unlawful and infamous. 
It differed from polygamy, or having two wives at 
once ; as it consisted in either marrying two virgins 
successively, or once marrying a widow." Black- 
stone. Cited by Rolfe. 

Expostulate. Discuss, speak. 

Reverence to some alive. Cf. III. 5. 93, 94. 

/ cannot nor I will not. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, 
§406. 

Effeminate remorse. Womanly pity. 

Acquittance. Acquit. 



328 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 



ACT IV. 

Niece Plantagenet. Granddaugbter. Nephew is 
used for grandchild in Othello, I. 1. 113. 

In. By. 

Anne. This is Anne's first appearance since 
I. 2. 

Gratulate. Congratulate. 

By your patience. By your leave. 

May not leave it, seq. I cannot leave or resign it, 
my office, so. 

Live with Richmond. After the battle of Tewks- 
bury Richmond fled to Brittany. 

Margaret's curse. Cf . I. 3. 209. 

My son. Thomas Lord Stanley had married the 
Lady Margaret. He was, therefore, Richmond's 
stepfather. 

Inclusive verge. The circular rim of the crown. 

Be thou . . accursed, seq. Cf. I. 2. 1-32. 

His timorous dreams. "Not only is this charac- 
teristic touch confirmed by historical accounts of 
Richard's disturbed nights, but the dramatist has 
given it consistency and forcible effect of climax by 
the impressive picture presented to our sight in the 
waking w^ords uttered by this guilt-burdened soul in 
starting from sleep in V. 3." Clarke. 

Eighty odd years, seq. At the date of this scene 
the Duchess of York was sixty-eight years old. She 
died twelve years later, in 1495. 

Teen. Sorrow. 

Envy. Malice. 



Kliq-G KICHARD THE THlED. 329 

Scene 2. 

Touch. Touchstone. 

He gnaiDS Ms Up. Hall says this was Richard's 
habit when he was angry. 

Resolve. Answer. Cf. line 121. 

Iron-witted. " Unfeeling, insensible." Schmidt. 
More likely, I think, to be dull, heavy, unimpressible. 

Unrespective. Heedless. 

Considerate. Questioning. 

Close. Secret. 

Witty. Cunning. 

lake order. Give order. 

Marry . . to Clarence' daughter. " The marriage 
was not carried out. Margaret Plantagenet, who 
was now not ten years old, lived to become Countess 
of Salisbury, and married Sir Richard Pole, whose 
mother was half sister to the Lady Margaret, the 
mother of Henry VII." Hunter. " Illustrations of 
Shakespeare," 11. 91. 

TJie hoy is foolish. Mentally weak. He was not 
educated. 

It stands me much upon. It is absolutely neces- 
sary. 

There is no more but so. Richard refers to the in- 
structions which he has, in a whisper, just given 
Tyrrel. 

Prefer. Promote. 

Henry the Sixth did prophesy, seq. Cf . III. Henry 
VI., lY., 6. G8, seq. 

How chance? How did it happen ? 



330 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Like a Jack. A figure in the old clocks that struck 
the hour upon the bell. 
Brecknock. A castle in South Wales. 

Scene 3. 

DigMonand Forrest. " John Dighton was horse- 
keeper to Sir James Tyrrel, and Miles Forrest was 
one of the four attendants whom he had placed in 
charge of the young princes." Wright. More says : 
"Miles Forest . . rotted away. . . But Sir James 
Tirel dyed at Tower Hill, beheaded for treason." 
Hall says: "Dighton . . dyed in great misery." 

Fleshed mllains. Cruel. Cf. Henry F., IH. 3. 11. 

Replenished. Complete. 

This tidings. Shakespeare makes tidings both sin- 
gular and plural. Cf. King John, IV. 2. 115, where 
it is singular ; Antony and Cleo., II. 5. 87, where it 
is plural. 

After supper. This may mean after I have had my 
supper, or after-supper may be the rear -supper , 
Cf. p. 278. 

Son of Clarence. He was kept a prisoner by 
Richard, during his reign, at Sheriff Hutton Castle in 
Yorkshire. 

Anne. She died March 16, 1485. 

The Breton Richmond. Richmond had taken ref- 
uge in Brittany. 

My counsel is my shield. That which I trust to is 
not words or thoughts, but my shield. 
Scene 4. 

Induction. Beginning. Vide note under I. 1. 
Unbloivji flowers. Flowers tliat have not budded. 



KI:N'G RiCHARi) THE THIRD. 351 

Bight for right. Retributive justice. 

Doth quit. Compensate. 

Seniory. Priol•it3^ 

Carnal. Flesh-devouring. 

Pew-fellow. An occupant of the same pew in 
church ; metaphorically, an intimate friend. 

Boot. Something extra which is given to com- 
plete a bargain. Cf . V. 3. 301 ; Winter's Tale, IV. 
4. 690. 

Intelligencer. Go-between, agent. 

Their factor. Their refers to Hell, of which Rich- 
ard is Vi factor or agent. 

Cancel his hond, seq. Cf . Macbeth, III, 2. 49. 

Bottled. Vide note under I. 3. 

Index. Prologue, introduction. Cf. Hamlet, III. 
4. 53. 

Oarish. Gaudy. 

Decline. Run through from first to last, as a 
school-boy declines a part of speech. Cf. Troilusand 
Gressida, II. 3. 55. 

Caitiff. Wretch. 

My hurthen'd yoke. The yoke which is such a 
burden to me. 

Bettering, seq. Increasing. 

Causer. Cause. 

With these curses the dramatic life of Queen Mar- 
garet ends. She disappears from the play. 

Intestate joys. Joys that are dead and have left no 
will. Words are to them airy succeeders. 

Owed. Owned. 

Alainiyn. Vide note under I. 1. 

Entreat. Treat. 



33^ HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Rood. Vide note under III. 3. 

Tetchy. Fretful. " Said to be corrupted from 
touchy." Wright. Cf. Romeo and Juliet, I. 3. 33. 

Kind ill hatred. Outwardly kind, inwardly full of 
hate — e.g., his wooing of Anne. 

Humphrey Hour. The meaning of this is unknown. 

Disgracious. Vide note under III. 7. 

Of the dialogue between the Duchess and King 
Richard, Johnson says : " Part of it is ridiculous, and 
the whole improbable." With this opinion Wright 
agrees. 

Level. Aim. 

Unavoided. Inevitable. 

Cousins . . cozen' d. Shakespeare's play on words. 

All indirectly, seq. Cf. Hamlet, II. 1. 66. 

Still US2. Constant usi ; couti.iual experience. 

Reft. Deprived. 

Demise. Grant. 

Date. The period during which your kindness 
lasts. 

From my soul. Queen Elizabeth quibbles on the 
-wovdi from. 

As sometime Margaret. Cf. ///. Henry Vf., I. 4. 
79-83. 

Mads't quick conveyance. Did soon get rid of, 
make way with. 

Mettle. Cf. Macbeth, I. 7. 73. 

Of her. By her. 

Bid. Bore. 

Retail. Vide note under III. 1. 

Now, by m'l Oeorge, my garter, scq. The insignia 
of the Order of the Garter. 



KIXG RICHARD THE THIRD. 333 

Misused ere us'd, hy times, seq. Thou bast misused 
the time to come ere thou hast us'd it, by thy mis- 
deeds in the past. 

Shall I go icin. To omitted. Cf . Abbott, Gram- 
mar, § 349. 

They Mill. Lie at anchor. 

Light-foot. Quick, swift. 

Suddenly. Presently, as the quartos read. 

Competitors. Confederates. 

News . . they. Shakespeare makes new^s both sin- 
gular and plural. 

Landed at Milford. August 7 or 8, 1485. 

A royal battle. "A batUe on which a kingdom 
depends." Wright. 

Scene 5. 

Sir Christopher Urswick. He " was chaplain to the 
Lady Margaret, and was trusted by her to carry 
on the negotiations with Richmond in Brittany." 
Wright. 

Frank'd. Vide note under I. 3. 

In hold. In prison. 

For an account of Sir Walter Herbert, and the 
others who flocked to Richmond, vide Hall's Chroni- 
cles. 

Besolve. Explain, relate. 

ACT V. 

The events dramatized in this scene took place 
November 2, 1483. " Buckingham was betrayed by 
Humphrey Bannister, in whose house, near Shrews- 
bury, he had taken refuge, to John jNIitton, Sheriff 
of Shropshire." Wright. Cf. Henry VIIL, I. 2. 



334 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Miscarried. Perished. 

When I icas found false, seq. Cf. II. 1. 32, seq. 

Determined respite, seq. The limit of the respite 
granted me before I am punished for my wrong- 
doing. 

Margaret's curse. Cf. I. 3. 800, seq. 

Wrong hath hut wrong, seq. This is but a just 
retribution. 

Scene 3. 

" Oxford, who enters with Richmond, was John 
de Vere, Earl of Oxford, a zealous Lancastrian, who 
after a long confinement in Hames Castle, Picardy, 
escaped thence in 1484, and joined the Earl of Rich- 
mond at Paris. He commanded the archers at the 
battle of Bosworth. Sir James Bhmt had been cap- 
tain of the castle of Hames, and assisted Oxford to 
escape." Malone. 

Spoiled . . swills. On change of tense, cf. Ab- 
bott, Grammar, § 370. 

Wash. The food of hogs. 

One day's march. Tamworth is within fifteen or 
sixteen miles of Bosworth. 

Scene 3. 

AlVs one for that. Never mind ; that's all right. 

Trebles. ' ' Richard's army was about twelve thou- 
sand men, and he reckoned upon the assistance of 
the Stanleys besides. ' ' Wright. 

Men of sound direction. Men able to direct the 
military movements. Cf . lines 236, 302 ; Othello, 
II. 3. 128. 

Limit. Give specific orders. 



KIKG RICHARD THE THIRD. 335 

Desire. Request, direct. 

My beaver. The helmet. Qi. I. Henry IV. .TV. x. 
104; III. Henry VI, LI. 12. 

A watch. May mean either a sentinel or a watch- 
light. 

Staves. Lances. 

Cock-shut time. Twilight. 

Flaky. The coming light scatters in places the 
darkness. 

Mortal-staring war. '' War that looks big, or 
stares fatally on its victims." Steevens. 

TJie leisure, seq. The thne which we can com- 
mand is so brief, seq. Cf. line 238 below. 

Peize. Weigh. 

For hope. For lack of hope. 

The lights burn blue. This was regarded as a sign 
that ghosts or spirits were present. 

Armed in proof. Wearing armor which is proof 
against all assault. Cf. Macbeth, I. 2. 54. 

Cried on, seq. Cried of. Cf. Othello, V. 1. 48 ; 
Hamlet, V. 2. 375. 

One that made means. One that created oppor- 
tunities. 

Base foul stone, made precious, seq. Reference is 
to a gem of little value which is made precious by a 
handsome setting. 

Ward. Guard. 

The ransom, seq. If I fail, the penalty I shall 
pay, seq. 

Tell. Count. 

Should have brav'd. Made bright. 

Foreicard. Vanguard. 



836 HOAV TO STUDY SHAKESPEAKi!. 

Puissance. Strength, force. 

Jockey of Norfolk, seq. Hall says these words 
were written on the gate of Jolm, Duke of Norfolk, 
the night before he left his home to join Richard in 
the field. 

Inferfd. Alleged, 

A sort, seq. A pack, a lot of vagabonds. 

Bistain. Defile. 

Overweening. Presumptuous. 

Bohh'd. Means same as beaten, thumped. It ex- 
presses contempt. 

Deny. Refuse. 

Passed the marsh. There was a large marsh in 
Bosworth plain between the two armies, which Rich- 
mond passed, and arranged his forces so that it pro- 
tected his right wing. He thus also compelled the 
enemy to fight with the sun in their faces, a great 
disadvantage when bows and arrows were in use. 

Spleen. Anger. 

Scene 4. 

Opposite. Adversary. 

A horse, seq. Cf . p. 306. 

Scene 5. 

Acquit. Acquitted. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 342. 

Leicester. Was fourteen miles from Bosworth 
Field. 

The father rashly slaughtered, seq. Cf. III. Henry 
Fi., II. 5. 

Abate. " To blunt, to take off the edge of." 
Schmidt. 

Reduce. Vide note under II. 2. 



KIKG RICHAKD THE THIRD. 337 



III. Table of Acts and Scenes in which each 
character appears. Also, number of lines 
spoken by each character. Also, group- 
ing of minor characters, to be read in a 
reading club by one person. 
No. of 
Lines. 
1161 Gloucester, I, 1, 2, 3 ; II, 1, 2 ; III, 1, 4, 5, 7 ; IV, 2, 

3, 4 ; V, 3, 4. 
374 Buckingham, I, 3 : II. 1, 2 ; III, 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 ; IV, 2 ; 

V, 1, 3. 
174 Clarence, I, 1, 4 ; V, 3. 

149 Hastings, I, 1, 3 ; II, 1, 2 ; III, 1,2, 4 ; V, 3. 
136 Richmond. V, 2, 3, 5. 

107 Derby, I, 8 ; II. 1 ; III, 2, 4 ; IV, 1, 2, 4, 5 ; V, 3. 5. 
69 2(i Murderer, I, 4. 
66 1st Murderer, I, 3, 4. 
64 King Edward, II, 1. 

62 Catesby, I, 3 ; III, 1, 2, 7 ; IV, 2, 3, 4 ; V, 3, 4. 
55 Rivers, I, 3 ; II, 1, 2 ; III, 3 ; V, 3. 
51 Prince, HI, 1 ; V, 3. 
47 Duke of York, II, 4 ; III, 1 ; V, 3. 
39 Bracken bury, I, 1, 4 ; IV, 1. 
37 Tvrrel, IV, 2, 3. 

30 1st Messenger, II, 4 : III, 2 ; IV, 4 ; V, 3. 
30 Ratcliff, III. 3, 4 ; IV, 4 ; V, 3. 
28 3d Citizen, II, 3. 
21 Boy, II, 2. 
17 Mayor, III, 1, 5, 7. 
15 Dorset, I. 3 ; II, 1, 2 ; IV, 1. 
14 Scrivener, III. 6. 
13 Grey, 1,3 ; 111,3; V, 3. 
13 2d Citizen, II. 3. 
12 Archbishop, II, 4. 
10 4th Messenger, IV, 4. 
10 Norfolk, V, 3. 
9 Ghost of Henry VI., V, 3. 
9 Cardinal, III, 1. 
8 rrswick, IV, 5. 
8 1st Citizen, II, 3. 
8 Blunt, V, 2, 3. 
8 Ghost of Prince Edward, V, 3. 
7 Ely, III, 4. 
7 3d Messenger, IV, 4. 
6 Page, IV, 2. 
5 Vaughan, III. 3 ; V, 3. 
3 Pursuivant, III, 2. 
3 Lovel, III, 4, 5. 
3 2d Messenger, IV, 4. 
3 Lords, V, 3. 
2 Gentlemen, I, 2. 



338 



HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEABE. 



2 Sheriflf, V, 1. 

2 Oxford, V, 2. 

1 Priest. Ill, 2. 

1 "Another,"' III, 7. 

1 Herbert, V, 2. 

1 Surrey, V, 3. 

274 Queen Elizabeth, I, 3 ; II, 1, 2, 4 : IV, 1, 4. 

218 Queen Margaret, I, 3 ; IV, 4. 

165 Anne, I, 2 ; IV, 1 ; V, 3. 

140 Duchess of Yorli, 11, 2, 4 ; IV, 1, 4. 

9 Girl, II, 2. 

Archbishop. ] 

Sheriff. f 

Pursuivant. J 

Oxford. 

Ghost of Henry VI. 

3d Citizen. 

4th Messenger. 

Grey. 

Urswick. 

Scrivener. 

2d Citizen. 

Surrey. 

2d Murderer. 

Tyrrel. 

Blunt. 

Priest. 

2d Messenger. 

Cardinal. 

Gentleman. 

1st Citizen. 

1st Messenger. 

Vaughan. 

1st Murderer. 

Ely. 

Norfolk. 

Dorset. 

Mayor. 

Lovel. 

Herbert. 

Brackenbury. 

3d Messenger. 

Boy. I 

Ghost of Prince Edward, j 

Duke of York. I 

Girl. f 

Prince. i 

Page. J 



Kli^G RICHARD THE THIRD, 339 

IV. Questions. 

ACT I. 

1. Of what three plays is this the continuation and 
conclusion ? 

2. What is the subject of the four plays ? 

Ans. The war between the Houses of Lancaster 
and York. 

8. What is the historic date of the beginning of 
this play ? 

4. What soliloquies of Richard in ///. Henry VI. 
are, in many respects, like the opening soliloquy of 
this play ? 

Ans. Cf. ///. Henry VL, III. 2. 124-195; V. 6. 
67-93. 

5. What does Richard mean by sun of York f 

6. What description of the peaceful condition of 
England does Richard give ? 

7. What of his own physique ? 

8. Is this historically correct ? 

9. What announcement of his purposes does he 
^lake ? 

10. Are deformed persons, more than others, liable 
to be malicious and at enmity with their kind ? 

Ans. " Deformed persons are commonly even 
with nature ; for as nature hath done ill by them, so 
do they by nature ; being for the most part (as the 
Scripture saith) void of natural affection; and so 
they have their revenge of nature.* . . Whosoever 



* Then, since the heavens have shaped my body so, 
Let hell make crook'd my mind to answer it. 

///. Henry VI. , V. 6. 



340 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

hath anything fixed in his person that doth induce 
contempt, hath also a perpetual spur in himself to 
rescue and deliver himself from scorn, seq." Bacon, 
Essay XLIV., Of Deformity. 
Cf. Temj>est, IV. 1. 188-192. 

11. What is the inner meaning of Richard's open- 
ing soliloquy ? 

Ans. The war between the Houses of Lancaster 

and York had temporarily reached an end by the 

victory of the former, Richard being unfitted both 

in physique and in moral nature to be a lover, and 

thus 

To entertain these fair icell-spoken days, 

determines to find vent for his energy, his comba- 
tiveness, his malice, in villainy. 

12. What is the dramatic function of this soliloquy? 
Ans. It does that which in a perfectly constructed 

drama the Introduction or Act I. does— viz., I. It 
specifies and describes all the causes of the action of 
the drama. II. It foreshadows perfectly that action. 

13. Was the arrest of Clarence the work of Rich- 
ard ? 

Ans. Cf. I. 1. 43-45 ; II. 1. 86-133. 

14. Was it part of the action of this drama, or was 
it one of the causes leading to that ? 

Ans. The latter. 

15. When does the action of this drama begin ? 
Ans. When Richard, who is the hero, begins to 

woo Anne, in 8c. 2. 

16. Do these, among other facts, prove that this 
drama is crudely constructed ? 

Ans. Yes. 



KING RICHARD THE THIRD. 341 

17. At what time in Shakespeare's career as a 
dramatist was it written ? 

A71S. It was one of the first of the plays which 
were written wholly by Shakespeare. Gervinus 
says : " It is Shakespeare's first tragedy of undoubt- 
ed personal authorship." "Shakespeare Commen- 
taries," p. 259. Love's Labour's Lost or Tzco Gentle- 
men of Verona may have been written previous to it. 
They, however, are comedies. Richard ILL is un- 
questionably one of the very earliest of Shakespeare's 
original dramas, and was written before he had be- 
come master of the dramatic art. 

18. To what prophecy does Richard in the open- 
ing soliloquy allude ? 

19. Who was Clarence ? 

20. What was a cross-row ? 

21. Who, according to Richard, was the cause of 
Chireuce's imprisonment ? 

22. Who was Mistress Shore ? 

23. What description of the Queen does Richard 
give ? 

24. What ironical description of her and Shore's 
wife does he give later to Brakenbury ? 

25. What is the meaning of enfranchise? 

26. What promise does Richard make to Clarence ? 

27. What is the first exhibition in this play of 
Richard's heartless duplicity ? 

28. Who was Hastings ? 

29. What description of the King's condition does 
he give ? 

30. What further detailed account of his plans 
does Richard give at the conclusion of Sc. 1 ? 



342 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

31. What were the circumstances attending the 
death of King Henry VI. ? 
A71S. Cf. ///. Henry VI., V. 6. 
33. Who was Lady Anne ? 

33. What is the meaning of key-cold figure ? 

34. What were the circumstances of Prince Ed- 
ward's death ? 

Ans. Cf. ///. Henry VI., V. 5. 

35. What curses upon the murderer of Henry VI. 
and Prince Edward does Anne utter ? 

36. Where was King Henry buried ? 

37. What was the favorite oath of Richard ? 

38. What is the meaning of advance the halberd, 
seq. ? 

39. To what current belief does Anne refer when 
she says, dead Henry's wo ujids . . bleed afresh? 

40. What crafty, flattering, deceiving arguments 
does Richard use in wooing Anne ? 

41. How is she affected by them ? 

42. What words of Anne first reveal the change 
taking place in her feelings toward Richard ? 

Ans. I won Id I knew thy heart. 

43. Where and what was Crosby House ? 

44. What revelation of her character has Anne 
made by accepting Richard's offer of marriage ? 

45. What comments on his success does Richard 
make 'r 

46. What does he say about his loyalty to 
Anne ? 

47. What is the dramatic purpose of this ? 

Ans. To foreshadow her early and violent death. 
Cf. IV. 2. 51-57 ; IV. 3. 39. 



KIN^G RICHARD THE THIRD. 343 

48. Where have the events recorded in the first 
and second scenes been enacted ? 

49. Where take place those in Sc. 3 ? 

50. What information relating to King Edward is 
given at the beginning of Sc. 3 ? 

51. Who were Rivers and Grey ? 

52 What dread of Richard does Elizabeth ex- 
press ? 

53. What is the meaning of, it is determin'd, not 
concluded yet ? 

54. What does Elizabeth say of The Countess of 
Richmond ? 

55. What report of the condition of the King does 
Stanley give to Elizabeth ? 

56. What statement of the King's desires, and 
what commands from him does Buckingham bring ? 

57. What statement about himself and the ill- 
treatment he has received does Richard make ? 

58. What charges does he bring against Elizabeth 
and her kindred ? 

59. What defiant response thereto does Elizabeth 
make ? 

60. Who was Queen Margaret ? 

Ans, The widow of King Henry VI. and the head 
of the House of Lancaster. 

61. What charges does she make against Richard? 

62. What does he say in response ? 

63. What curses does Margaret hurl on all those 
composing the group ? 

64. What effect do they have on Richard ? 
Ans. Cf. I. 3. 306-308. 

65. Was this repentance genuine ? 



344 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Ans. Furnivall [Introduction to " Leopold Shake- 
speare,"' p. xxxix.] says yes. The incorrectness of 
this opinion is clearly proven by Richard's words in 
the remainder of this scene. 

66. What does Richard in a soliloquy now reveal 
as to his conduct and its motives ? 

67. What warrant and what commands does Rich- 
ard give the two Murderers ? 

68. What is the meaning of you?' eyes drop mill- 
stones ? 

69. What of a Christian faithful man? 

70. What historic fact suggested to Clarence the 
words, / . . was embark' d to cross to Burgundy f 

71. Of what quality of Shakespeare's intellect is 
Clarence's dream a manifestation ? 

72. Whom did Clarence meet in Hades, and what 
arraignment did they bring against him ? 

73. What prayer does Clarence make ? 

74. What comment does Brakenbury make on 
Clarence's dream ? 

75. What are the contents of the paper that the 
Murderers deliver to Brakenbury ? 

76. What thought causes the 2d Murderer to hesi- 
tate and then to change his mind ? 

77. What again causes him to reverse this de- 
cision ? 

78. What reflections does he make on conscience f 

79. What is the meaning of a tall man ? 

80. What was the costard? 

81. How does the 2d Murderer receive the 1st 
Murderer's suggestion to throw Clarence's dead body 
into the malmsey huttf 



itlN'G RICHARD THE THIRD. 845 

82. What does Clarence say when pleading with 
the JMurderers ? 

83. What charges do they make against him ? 

84. What does Chireuce, what do the Murderers 
say as to Richard's feeling toward Clarence ? 

85. What description of Richard does the 1st Mur- 
derer give ? 

86. Wiiat is said by the Murderers and by Clarence 
on the subject of relenting ? 

87. What reaction takes place in the 2d Murderer 
as soon as this most grievous murther is committed ? 

88. What reflection does the 1st Murderer make 
on the deed ? 

89. These two Murderers are a fine example of 
Character-Contrast, Wherein do they resemble each 
other, wherein do they contrast with each other, 
physically, mentally, morally ? 

90. When the two Murderers are conferring to- 
gether they speak in prose ; when conversing with 
Clarence they use blank verse. Why this differ- 
ence ? 

Ans. Cf. pp. 138, 201, 254, 255, 300, 301. 

91. Is this the only place in this drama where 
Shakespeare uses prose ? 

ACT II. 

92. Who compose the group that surrounds the 
sick King Edward ? 

93. In M^hat work is he engaged ? 

94. What protestations of forgiveness and good- 
will does each one of these swelUng icrong-incensed 
peers make ? 



346 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

95. What does Richard say on this subject ? 

96. With what hypocritical prayer does he close 
his slatement ? 

97. What effect does the announcement of Clar- 
ence's death have upon all present ? 

98. What hoon does Stanley beg of King Edward ? 

99. What reflections on Clarence's death are sug- 
gested to King Edward by Stanley's prayer ? 

100. Whom does Richard charge with Clarence's 
death ? 

101. What kinsfolk did cousins include ? 

102. What do Clarence's children say about their 
father's death ? 

103. What did Richard say to the Boy ? 

104. What comment on Richard's duplicity does 
the Duchess make ? 

105. What do the Avomen say in their lamenta- 
tions ? 

106. Why are Clarence's children made to taunt 
Queen Elizabeth in her grief ? 

Ans. To add to that grief, because their father was 
beheaded by order of her husband. 

107. What is the meaning of their woes are par- 
ceU'd, mine are general f 

108. What does Dorset say ? 

109. What wise advice does Rivers give ? 

110. What blessing does the Duchess give Richard ? 

111. What heartless and cynical comment thereon 
does Richard make ? 

112. What suggestion does Buckingham make 
about the young prince ? 

113. What danger does Rivers perceive in it ? 



KINCt RICHARD THE THIRD. 347 

114. What do Buckingham and Richard say to al- 
lay his suspicions ? 

115. What plot had Buckingham and Richard de- 
vised against the Prince ? 

116. What other story had they late talk'd of? 

117. With what complimentary epithets does 
Richard flatter and deceive Buckingham ? 

118. What was his real feeling toward Bucking- 
ham ? 

Ans. Cf. I. 3. 328-338. 

119. Did Buckingham pride himself on his ability 
to deceive others ? 

Ans. Cf. III. 5. 5-12. 

120. What is the dramatic purpose of Sc. 3 ? 
Ans. I. To describe accurately the state of affairs 

at the death of the King, and the dangers which 
threatened the government and people as the result 
thereof. II. To foreshadow the tragic deeds of 
Richard. 

131. What is the source of those dangers ? 

Ans. I. Richard's purpose to murder the legiti- 
mate heir to the throne and to seize the throne. II. 
The rivalry and hatred between Richard, on the one 
hand, and the queen's sons and brothers, on the 
other. 

122. What do the Citizens say of the ensuing 
danger which men's minds mistrust ? 

123. What information of the prince, and of the 
party that was conducting him to Loudon, does the 
Archbishop give ? 

124. What statements about Richard does the 
young Duke of York make? 



348 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

125. What description of the young Duke does 
Elizabetli make ? 

126. Wliat is the meaning oi pitchers have ears? 

127. Wliat information about Rivers and Grey- 
does a Messenger bring ? 

128. Does Richard in this deed manifest clearly 
and unmistakably his purpose to destroy Queen 
Elizabeth and the House of Lancaster ? 

129. Does the Duchess also see in it an evidence of 
impending danger ? 

130. What action does Queen Elizabeth take to 
guard the young Duke of York ? 

131. What advice does the Archbishop give to the 
Queen ? 

132. What expression of his loyalty to her does he 
make ? 

ACT III. 

133. Who was Cardinal Bourchier ? 

134. What does Richard say in reference to judg- 
ing the characters of men ? 

135. What of the Prince's undes who had been 
murdered ? 

136. What does Hastings tell the Prince about his 
mother and brother ? 

137. What request does Buckingham make of the 
Cardinal ? 

138. With what arguments does he emphasize this 
request ? 

139. What was the holy privilege of blessed sanctu- 



KI]>rG RICHARD THE THIRD. 349 

140. What is the meaning of iDeigh it hut icith 
the grossness of this age ? 

141. Does the Cardinal finally accede to Bucliing- 
ham's request ? 

142. Wliere does Richard suggest that tlie Prince 
sliall sojourn till his coronation ? 

143. What does the Prince say about the Tower f 

144. Also, about Julius Caesar ? 

145. What was the formal Vice, Iniquity? 

146. What does Richard say of his own untruth- 
fulness ? 

147. What does he say in an A><iile which reveals 
his settled purpose to kill the Prince ? 

148. What was said in the conversation between 
the Prince, York, and Richard ? 

149. What is the meaning of 

Because that I am little, like an npe. 

He thinks thatyou should hear me on your shoulders? 

150. In what replies of his does Richard moralize 
two meanings in one tcordf 

151. What presentiment of danger does the Prince 
express with reference to going unto the Tower ? 

152. What is the dramatic purpose of this ? 
Ans. To foreshadow the murder of himself and of 

his brother York. 

153. What description of the Prince docs Richard 
give ? 

154. To what plot does Buckingham refer when 
he says to effect what we intend? 

155. What question does he ask Catesby about 
Hastings and Stanley ? 



350 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

156. On what mission, and with what instructions, 
do Buckingham and Richard now despatch Catesby ? 

157. Who was Hastings' ancient knot of dangerous 
adversaries ? 

158. What was their fate ? 

159. What decision in reference to Hastings does 
Richard announce ? 

160. What promise does Ricliard make to Buck- 
ingham ? 

161. What message does Stanley send to Hastings ? 

162. What reply thereto does Hastings make ? 

163. What dramatic use of dreams does Shake- 
speare make here and in other parts of this play ? 

164. What in other plays ? 

165. What is the dramatic purpose of this incident ? 
Ans. To foreshadow Hastings' death. 

166. What response does Hastings make to Cates- 
by 's suggestion that Richard wear the garland of the 
realm ? 

167. Wliat fateful prophecy does Hastings utter ? 

168. Does Hastings have confidence in the friend- 
ship of Richard and Buckingham for himself ? 

169. What does Catesby say on this subject ? 

170. To what does he refer when he says, For they 
account his head upon the bridge ? 

171. What warning to Hastings does Stanley 
bring ? 

172. What does Hastings say to a Pursuivant ? 
17S. What is Shakespeare's purpose in making 

Hastings gloat over the execution of his Enemies, 
and of expressing confidence that I (am) in better state 
than ere I loas ? 



KIKG RICHARD THE THIRD. 351 

Ans, To make his early and violent death more 
tragic. 

174. What is the significance of the entrance of a 
Priest ? 

Ans. Buckingham's remark that dying men need 
a priest is delicate foreshadowing of the fate await- 
ing Hastings. 

175. What remark does Buckingham make in an 
Aside that again, and with certainty, foreshadows 
Hastings' death ? 

176. Where were Rivers, Grey, and Vaughan exe- 
cuted ? 

177. What king was hacked to death at Pomfret ? 

178. What curse of Queen ]\[argaret is fulfilled in 
the death of these three men ? 

179. Whom else did she curse ? 

180. What prayer with reference to that curse 
does Rivers offer ? 

181. Is that prayer answered ? 

182. What is the meaning of the hour of death is 
expiate ? 

183. What does Hastings say both for himself and 
Richard with reference to the coronation of the 
Prince ? 

184. Does Richard when he appears at the Coun- 
cil table endorse what Hastings has said ? 

185. What is the dramatic purpose of Richard's 
request to the Bishop of Ely for some straicherries? 

Ans. It is an ej^isode introduced for the purpose of 
relieving the tragic. Its effect is similar to that of a 
ray of sunshine on a dark, gloomy day. 

186. What does Hastings say of Richard which 



352 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

proves that he is fatally mistaken in his opinion of 
Richard's feeling toward him ? 

187. What short, sharp, and decisive measures does 
Richard take to rid hnnself of Hastings, and of 
Hastings' opposition to his plot to seize the throne ? 

188. In what other plays does Shakespeare make 
dramatic use of the current belief in loitclicraft f 

Cf. " Shakespeare and his Times," Drake, Yol. II., 
pp. 507-525. 

189. Was Richard's arm wither d up ? 
Ans. Cf. ///. Henry VL, III. 2. 154-156. 

190. What incidents does Hastings mention that 
foreshadow his death ? 

191. What does he say of the Pursuivant and the 
Priest ? 

192. What of Margaret's curse ? 

193. Has part of Rivers' dying prayer been an- 
swered ? 

Ans. Cf. III. 3. 17-19. 

194. What prophecy does Hastings utter just pre- 
vious to his death ? 

195. What does Richard say to Buckingham in ref- 
erence to acting a part ? 

196. Does Buckingham pride himself on his ability 
to counterfeit the deep tragedian f 

197. On what mission has Catesby been sent ? 

198. What do Richard and Buckingham say in 
reference to Hastings when his head is brought ? 

199. On what mission to the Lord Mayor and 
populace does Richard now despatch Buckingham ? 

200. Who were Doctor Shaw and Friar Penker ? 
Ans. The former was brother to the Lord Maj^or ; 



KIIs^G RICHARD THE THIRD. 353 

the latter was au Augustine Friar. Richard solicit- 
ed their aid in his eiforts to secure the crown. 

301. When Richard is left alone, what information, 
in a soliloquy, does he give as to his purpose to kill 
iJie brats of Clarence ? 

202. Is the primary dramatic purpose of the Scriven- 
er's soliloquy to prove that the execution of Hast- 
ings wag not a sudden impulse, but was carefully 
and deliberately planned ? 

203. With what reflections does the Scrivener close 
his soliloquy ? 

204. What is the dramatic purpose of them ? 
Ans. To foreshadow trouble from the same men 

who had plotted against and murdered Hastings. 

205. What report of his mission to the Mayor and 
Citizens does Buckingham give to Richard ? 

206. What was Edward's contract with Lady 
Lucy ? 

207. What advice to Richard does Buckingham 
give ? 

208. What answer does Richard send by Catesby to 
the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Citizens ? 

209. What arguments on behalf of himself, the 
Lord Mayor, and the others does Buckingham make 
to Richard why he should allow h'mself to be 
crowned ? 

210. What response does Richard make at first ? 

211. What later ? 

212. What day is appointed for the coronation ? 

213. Has Buckingham in this interview manifest- 
ed his ability, of which he had boasted, to act a 
part ? 



354 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

214. Is there any historical authority for the pres- 
ence of the Bishoj^s on this occasion ? 

Ans. None. 

ACT IV. 

215. To whom is the first announcement made 
that Richard is King ? 

216. What command has Eicliard issued as to the 
custody of the young Princes ? 

217. What message does Stanley bring to Anne ? 

218. What advice does Queen Elizabeth give to 
Dorset ? 

219. What does Anne say about the curse she 
uttered against Richard because he murdered her first 
husband ? 

220. Did Ricliard suffer from timorous dreams f 

221. What advice does the Ducliess of York give 
to Dorset, to Anne, to Queen Elizabeth ? 

222. Wliat apostrophe to the Tower does Elizabeth 
litter ? 

223. What plot does Richard now broach to Buck- 
ingham ? 

224. In what respect does Richard's plot recall a 
similar one of Macbeth ? 

Ans. Cf. Macbeth, II. 2. 

225. Does Buckingham hesitate to assent to the 
plan ? 

226. What effect on Richard does Buckingham's 
hesitancy produce ? 

227. What is Richard's characterization of Buck- 
ingham ? 

228. What news does Stanley bring ? 



KING IIICHARD THE THIRD. 355 

329. Is the flight of Dorset lo Richmond the acme 
of the Climax of this drama ? 

A/is. It is. From this time forward Richard's f^jr- 
tunes decline. From this time he ceases to take the 
offensive and acts on the defensive. 

230. Does Richard foresee the change which has 
taken place in his fortunes ? 

231. What plans does he elaborate to prevent the 
threatening disasters ? 

232. What description of his desperate condition 
does Richard give ? 

233. Is it like that of Macbeth ? 
Ans. Cf. Macbeth, III. 4. 136-138. 

234. What discontented gentlemcm undertakes for 
Richard the murder of the Princes ? 

233. What promise of Richard to himself does 
Buckingham pray the fulfilment ? 

233. What response to that prayer does Richard 
make ? 

237. What comment on Richard's refusal does 
Buckingham make ? 

238. What description of the murder of the Princes 
does Tyrrel give ? 

239. Who were his assistants ? 

240. What report does he give to Richard ? 

241. What statement of his murderous deeds does 
Richard give ? 

242. Why is Richmond called the Breton ? 

243. What plan of Richmond does Richard now 
determine to circumvent ? 

244. What news of further defections does Catesby 
bring to Richard ? 



356 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPP^ARE. 

245. Whom does Richard fear the more, Ely or 
Buckingham ? 

246. Why Ely? 

247. What comment does Richard make on the 
news Catesby brings ? 

218. What does Margaret say about the disasters 
to her enemies of the House of York ? 

249. What plaints do Queen Elizabeth and the 
Duchess of York make ? 

250. What does Margaret say when her hunger for 
revenge is satiated ? 

251. What philippic does she utter against Queen 
Elizabeth ? 

252. Of what is she in this drama the embodiment ? 
A/is. Nemesis. 

253. What bitter reproaches, what curses do 
Queen Elizabeth and the Duchess of York heap on 
Richard ? 

254. By what crafty, brilliant, and eventually suc- 
cessful arguments did Richard overcome Queen Eliza- 
beth's intense and bitter opposition to his marriage 
to her daughter Elizabeth ? 

255. What comment thereon does Richard make 
when she finally yielded her consent ? 

256. How does this wooing, in all its details, com- 
pare with his wooing of Anne ? 

257. How do the characters of Anne and Queen 
Elizabeth, as manifested on these two occasions, 
compare, how contrast ? 

258. Is Shakespeare's portraiture of Richard as it 
manifested itself on the latter occasion in every way 
consistent with that of the first occasion ? 



KING RICHARD THE THIRD. 357 

259. Has Richard grown in subtlety and courage 
as well as in cruelty and depravity ? 

260. Does Retributive Justice now begin to pun- 
ish Richard ? 

261. ^Vhat bad news is brought to him by Ratcliff, 
Stanley, the four Messengers ? 

262. What measures does Richard take to avert 
these thick-coming dangers ? 

263. Does Richard question the loyalty of Stanley ? 

264. What hostage does he demand ? 

265. What fate has befallen Buckingham ? 

266. How does Richard's conduct, as his doom ap- 
proaches, compare with that of Macbeth under simi- 
lar circumstances ? 

Atis. Cf. Macbeth, V., Scs. 2, 5. 

267. What message ( I. As to himself ; II. As to 
his son ; III. As to Richmond's espousal of Elizabeth) 
does Stanley send by Sir Christopher Urswick to 
Richmond ? 

268. Was Richard's fear of Stanley's loyalty well 
grounded ? 

ACT V. 

269. Whom does Buckingham say will rejoice that 
a just retribution has overtaken him ? 

270. What were the circumstances attending the 
death of each one of those to whom he refers ? 

271. What prayer to God, spoken in the presence 
of King Edward and the Queen, is fulfilled in Buck- 
ingham's violent death ? 

Ans. Cf. II. 1. 32-40. 



358 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

272. What is the meaning of determined respite to 
my wrongs f 

273. AVhat does Buckingham say regarding the 
sure and just punishment of wrong-doing ? 

274. To what warning and to what curse uttered 
by Margaret does Buckingham refer ? 

Ans. Cf. I. 3. 280-303. 

275. What speech does Richmond make to his 
fellows in arms and most loving friends? 

276. What response do Oxford, Herbert, Blunt, 
malie ? 

377. What is the dramatic purpose of narrative 
statements like these ? 

Ans. To inform the spectators of a drama of events 
wliich have occurred and of which they should be 
informed, but which information cannot, for one rea- 
son or another, be conveyed by action on the stage. 

278. Why is Richard described as a hoar? 

279. What is the meaning of swills your icarm 
blood like wash ? 

280. What description of hope, a description which 
is both philosophic and poetic, does Richmond 
make ? 

281. Where was fought the battle which finally 
brought to a conclusion the Wars of the Roses ? 

282. What preparations for the conflict does Rich- 
ard make ? 

283. What does Richmond ? 

284. What fears of impending doom does Richard 
have ? 

285. What is the dramatic purpose of Richard's 
words on this subject ? 



KING RICHARD THE THIRD. 359 

A71S. To foreshadow his defeat and death. 

286. Is this ill strict accord with human life, of 
which a drama is a portrayal ? 

Ans. Cf. II. 3. 31-45. 

287. Was Macbeth, under similar circumstances, 
similarly affected ? 

288. What message does Stanley bring to Rich- 
mond ? 

289. Is the dramatic purpose of this narrative 
statement the same as that of Richmond to his fol- 
lowers ? 

Ans. Yes. 

290. What prayer to God for guidance and assist- 
ance does Richmond offer on the night preceding 
the battle ? 

291. What is the dramatic purpose of this ? 

Alls. To make manifest the fact that Richmond, 
in this conflict, personifies the Right, and as such 
embodies Poetic as well as Legal Justice. 

292. What Ghosts appear to Richard and to Rich- 
mond ? 

293. What messages do they bring to each ? 

294. What effect do these visions and these mes- 
sages have on Richard ? 

295. What is the significance of the statement the 
lights burn blue ? 

296. Has Richard's conscience at last asserted it- 
self, and called him to account for his murderous 
deeds ? 

297. What else has Shakespeare said in this play 
about conscience ? 

Am. Cf. I. 4. 100-148. 



360 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAEE. 

298. Does Richard, who has been loveless, now 
express a desire to be loved ? 

299. Does he who has been pitiless (cf. IV. 2. 67) 
now long for pity from others ? 

300. How do these reflections of Richard compare 
with those of Macbeth under similar circumstances ? 

Ans. Cf. Macbeth, V. , Scs. 4, 5. 

301. What does Richard tell Ratcliff of the terror 
that the shadoics have caused him ? 

302. Do his own baseness and perfidy now lead 
Richard to question the loyalty of his troops ? 

303. What means does he take to assure himself 
on this subject ? 

304. What message did their souls, ichose bodies 
Richard murther'd, bring to Richmond ? 

305. What effect did that have on Richmond ? 

306. What address did Richmond make to his 
troops ? 

307. What further evil omens does Richard de- 
duce from the dark and threatening sky ? 

308. What is Richard's plan of battle ? 

309. What is the purport of the mysterious scroll 
which Norfolk brings to him ? 

310. What address does he make to his troops ? 

311. Does Stanley refuse to obey his commands ? 

312. What order does he issue for the execution of 
Stanley's son George ? 

313. Is that order ever carried into effect ? 
Ans. Cf. V. 5. 8-11. 

314. What is the explanation of the sudden exalta- 
tion of Richard's spirits ? 

Ans. His activity in preparing for the battle has, 



KING RICHARD THE THIRD. 361 

for a moment, allayed his fears by diverting his 
mind. 

315. Does exaltation of spirits, like this of Rich- 
ard, as well as depression of spirits, sometimes fore- 
sliadow death ? 

Alls. Yes. Cf. Borneo and Juliet, V. 1. 3. 

316. What is the meaning of daring an opposite to 
every danger f 

317. What expression of Richard is similar to one 
in the earlier English play on this same subject ? 

Ans. Cf. p. 306. 

318. Who were slain in the battle besides Richard ? 

319. What orders does Richmond issue ? 

320. By what marriage are the houses of Lancaster 
and York united ? 

321. What is the result of this victory and this 
marriage on the future of England ? 



322. What are the historical sources of this play ? 

323. How many Quarto editions of this play were 
there ? 

Ans. Eight are still in existence. Rolfe says : 
"It is possible that there may have been yet an- 
other, no longer extant." 

324. Are we to infer from this fact that the play 
was very popular with Shakespeare's contempora- 
ries ? 

Ans. Unquestionably, yes. 

325. AVliat is Bacon's description of a drama which 
is especially true of a Historical Drama ? 

Ans. "Dramatic Poetry is like history made vis- 



362 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

ible, and is an image of actions past as though they 
were present." 

On the subject of the difference between a History 
and a Drama, cf. p. 146. 

326. In what important particular does Shake- 
speare's portraiture of Richard III. differ from that 
of Macbeth ? 

Ans. In the case of Macbeth the Character-Devel- 
opment is gradual. Richard III., on the contrary, 
appears at the beginning of this drama as the thor- 
oughly hardened, fully developed villain. 

327. Is this a violation of the Law of Gradation ? 
A?is. No. While Shakespeare does not, in this 

drama, trace the development of Richard's character 
directly, and in detail, he does so indirectly and in 
outline by the words spoken by Richard's mother, 
IV. 4. 165-174. In addition, he has described Rich- 
ard's Character-Development in the Three Parts of 
Henry VI. , of which this play is a continuation. 

328. Is Shakespeare's portraiture of Richard, 
therefore, consistent and normal ? 

Ans. Yes. The man whose life is thus epitomized 
on the title-page of the 1597 Quarto of this play : 
His treacherous plots against his brother Clarence : the 
pittieful murther of his innocent nepheices : his tyran- 
nical usurpation: with the whole course of his detested 
life, is the normal, consistent development of the in- 
fant who was tetchy, wayward; of the school-boy 
wlio was frightful, desperate, wild, and furious ; of 
the young man who was daring, bold, and ventwous. 

329. Has Shakespeare made the mistake of por- 
traying Richard as a monster, and thereby awaken- 



KING RICHARD THE THIRD. 363 

ing abhorrence and alienating the sympathies of the 
spectators of the drama ? 

Ans. No. Shakespeare has guarded against tliis 
by fine Dramatic Hedging — viz., by endowing 
Richard with qualities which evoke respect, intense 
interest, profound admiration, 

330. What were those qualities ? 

Ans. Sagacity, versatility, fine discernment of 
character, undaunted courage, great intellectual 
power, overmastering strength of will. Also, at the 
same time that he is almost wholly loveless and 
pitiless, Shakespeare does not make him entirely so. 
At the last, when he perceives his doom approach- 
ing, he expresses the longing for human sym- 
pathy, pity, love. Cf. V. 3. 200, 201 ; also pp. 195, 
196. 

331. Has Richard on another occasion expressed a 
similar longing ? 

A?is. Cf. ///. Henri/ VI. . V. 6. 80-84. 

332. What other dramatic purpose does Shake- 
speare accomplish by this longing of Richard ? 

Ans. He evokes Pathos. 

333. What furtiier means did Shakespeare take to 
prevent abhorrence of Richard, and consequently 
loss of interest in the portraiture of him ? 

Ans. I. By the change which takes place in him 
after the flight of Dorset. He then becomes appre- 
hensive of men, conscience-stricken, filled with re- 
morse, desperate. II. By making his death a fine 
and perfect example of Poetic Justice. That death 
is the normal outcome of his life. 

334. What is Poetic Justice ? 



364 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Ans. It Is the application to Art of the unchang- 
ing moral laws which govern the Universe. 

335. What is the Ethical Idea underlying this 
drama ? 

Ans. That what a hian sows he reaps ; that Nem- 
esis is unvacillating, sure, and brings to every man 
the just and legitimate reward or punishment for his 
deeds. 

336. Is this true of the minor characters in this 
play as well as of the hero ? 

Ans. Yes ; without exception. Every one of them 
who meets a violent death has been guilty of deeds 
meriting death. 

337. What did Clarence do which deserved the 
punishment of death ? 

Ans. Cf. I. 4. 43-74. 

338. What did Rivers, Grey, and Vaughan ? 
Ajis. Cf. III. 3. 

339. What did Hastings ? 
Ans. Cf. III. 2. 57-73. 

340. What did Anne ? 
Ans. Cf. IV. 1. 66-87. 

341. What did Buckingham ? 
Ans. Cf. Y. 1. 

342. What is the Environing Action of this 
drama ? 

A71S. The Wars of the Roses. 

343. What is the Environing Action of a drama ? 
Ans. It is not the environment. The environment 

is the local color, the pervasive atmosphere, the gen- 
eral conditions surrounding a drama. It pertains to 
topography, or to the period when the action took 



KIJs'G EICHARD THE THIRD. 365 

place, or to social conditions — e.g., intellectual, moral, 
national. Nor, as the term erroneously implies, 
is the Environing Action an action. It may be de- 
fined as an influence, a stimulating circumstance 
external to the action of the drama, yet indirectly 
affecting that action. It is to a drama what the set- 
ting is to a gem, the frame to a picture, Cf. pp. 
139, 199, 234. 

344. Richard reveals to the spectators his plots by 
means of soliloquies. Wliy does Shakespeare make 
him do so ? 

Ans. Cf. pp. 33, 34. 

345. Is there any Humor in this play ? 

Atis. Dowden says there is " a certain grim humor 
— humor of the diabolic kind — which is part of the 
demonic personality of Richard, and has for its 
central element a fierce contempt of humanity." 
" Shakespeare, His Mind and x\rt," p. 323. 

I should say there was not Humor so much as 
Irony, which, while it is amusing, is also grim. 

346. Is this fact, that there is comparatively no 
humor in this play, an evidence that the play is 
crude and defective, and was the product of Shake- 
speare's genius when it had not reached maturity ? 

Ans. Unquestionably, yes. In his plays, written 
when he had become master of his art, the tragic 
and the comic are always blended. He perceived 
that the smile on the lip is as natural as the tear in 
the eye ; that the laugh, like the sob, is a normal 
expression of human feeling ; that the ludicrous is 
tlie natural antithesis of the serious. In his por- 
traiture of mankind he is true to this phase of human 



366 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

nature. On the boards of his theatre fools elbow 
philosophers ; clowns stand side by side with kings 
and heroes. In his tragedies the humorous and the 
serious, the comic and the tragic, are mingled — more, 
they are fused — e.g., in Macbeth is the Porter Scene ; 
in Othello is a Clown ; in Lear is the Fool. 

347. How does Richard compare and contrast 
with Buckingham, his confederate ? 

348. How with Richmond, his adversary ? 

349. How with Macbeth and lago ? 

Ans. They have one quality in common — viz., in- 
tellectuality. Its manifestation, however, is differ- 
ent in each man. In Macbeth it is philosophical, 
reflecting ; in lago it is cynical, skeptical, slow to 
act ; in Richard it is thoroughly practical, it does, it 
must find expression in prompt action. In other re- 
spects they also resemble each other, and in many 
they contrast with each other. Specify them. 

350. How do the minor characters — Rivers, Grey, 
Dorset, Hastings, Stanley, Catesby — compare and 
contrast with each other ? 

351. Ditto, the Duchess of York and Margaret ? 

352. Ditto, Lady Anne and Elizabeth ? 

353. Ditto, the two Murderers of Clarence with 
Tyrrel ? 

354. Ditto, the Young Princes with each other ? 

355. How does Shakespeare's portraiture of these 
children compare and contrast with that of Arthur in 
King John ; Mamilius in The Winter's Tale; Mac- 
duff's Son in Macbeth? 

356. How does Buckingham compare and contrast 
with Banquo ? 



I 



Ki:?^^ RICHAED THE THIRD. 367 

357. What puns are there in this pkiy ? 

358. Was Richard a fatalist ? 
A?is. Cf. IV. 4. 217. 

V. Collateral Reading. 

For a detailed account of The Wars of the Roses, 
vide Green's Short History of the English People, 
chap, vi., pp. 294-314. 

Shakespeare's Richard III., James Russell Lowell, 
Latest Literary Essays and Addresses, pp. 111-130. 

Politics of Shakespeare's Historical Plays, Richard 
Simpson, Transactions New Shakespeare Society, 
1874, pp. 423-425. 

English History in Shakespeare's Plays, Beverly 
E. Warner, pp. 206-240. 

Lancaster and York, A Century of English His- 
tory, A.D. 1399-1485, Sir James H. Ramsay. 

Guesses at Truth, A. W. and J. C. Hare, Macmil- 
lan, pp. 418-422. 

Shakespeare as a Dramatic Artist, Moulton, pp. 
90-124. 

Shakespeare — His Mind and Art, Dowden, pp. 
160-171. 

William Shakespeare, Wendell, pp. 128-132. 

Shakespeare Commentaries, Gervinus, pp. 248-278. 

The Women of Shakespeare, Louis Lewes, Trans- 
lated by Helen Zimmern, pp. 202-208. 

The Inconsistency of Time in Shakespeare's Plays, 
Edward Rose, Transactions of New Shakespeare 
Society, 1880-1885, pp. 36-46. 

Commentaries on the Historical Plays, T. P. 
Courtenay, vide Index. 



368 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Characteristics of Women, Jameson, Edition of 
Routledge, pp. 365-375. 

The Ilhistrated Shakespeare, G. C. Verplanck, 
Vol. I., Introduction to Richard III. 

Lectures on Shakespeare, Coleridge, Bohn's Edi- 
tion, p. 273. 

Life of Richard III., Gairdner, 

More's History of King Richard III., Edited with 
Notes and Glossary, J. R. Lumby, Clarendon Press 
Series. 

Richard III., Stopford A. Brooke, Transactions 
New Shakespeare Society, 1880-1886, pp. 509-522. 

For an exhaustive and scholarly comparison of 
Richard III. and Macbeth, vide Remarks on Some of 
the Characters of Shakespeare, Whately. 



THE TEMPEST 



THE TEMPEST 

I. The Source of the Plot. 

The plot of this play is original with Shake- 
speare. I base this opinion on two facts : 

I. The patient and protracted researches of 
scholars, extending through nearly three cen- 
turies, have failed to discover any story or his- 
tory, drama or poem, similar to the pla}^ w^hich 
was in existence at the time of Shakespeare. 

II. The play is the most purely imaginative 
of any that Shakespeare wrote. In fact, it is the 
most purely imaginative product of the human 
intellect. There has never " been attained by 
foot of man," says Dowden, ' ' a speculative sum- 
mit more serene or of wider vision than that of 
the great enchanter of The Tempest, who is 
Shakespeare himself looking down, detached 
and yet tender, upon the whole of human experi- 
ence."* The nature of the play, therefore, con- 
firms me in the opinion expressed above. 

For these reasons I believe that the play is en- 
tirely the product of Shakespeare's imagination, 
written when that imagination had attained its 
greatest creative power. 



studies in Literature," p. 274. 



372 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Some critics, however, think they can trace 
resemblances between parts of the play and some 
of the literature that was current in Shakespeare's 
day. For the benefit of those who are curious 
on this subject, I append herewith references 
to such literature : 

A Discovery of the Bannvdas, otherwise called 
the lie of Divels : by Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George 
Sommers, and Gaptayne Newport, with diuers 
others. London, 1610. 

The parts of this book which are supposed to 
resemble Shakespeare's play can be found in 
Malone's Variorum Edition of Shakespeare, 1821, 
Vol. XV, pp. 377-434. A citation from Ma- 
lone is in the Clarendon Press Edition of this 
play, edited by Wright, Preface, pp. vi.-viii. 

Search for the Island of Lampedusa, from Har- 
ington's Ariosto. The Supposed Original of the 
Speech of Gonzalo, Act II., Scene 1, from Florio's 
Montaigne. These are reprinted in Hazlitt's 
" Shakespeare's Library," Part I., Vol. IV., pp. 
2-8. 

Jacob Ayrer and the Fair Sidea ; Storm on the 
Mediterranean, from Harington's J.?'^(9S^(9y Mon- 
taigne's essay on The Ganiballes, John Florio's 
translation. These can be found in the Double- 
day & McClure Edition of this play, pp. 137-182. 

In addition to the above, vide also Furness's 
Edition of llie Tempest, Appendix, pp. 306-351. 
Hunter's "New Illustrations of Shakespeare," 
Vol. I., pp. 167, 168. 



THE TEMPEST. 373 



II. Explanatory Notes. 

ACT I. 

Scene 1. 

On the subject of the scene of this drama, James 
Russell Lowell writes : ' ' The scene is laid nowhere, 
or certainly in no country laid down in any map. 
Nowhere then ? At once nowhere and anywhere — 
for it is in the soul of man, that still-vexed island, 
hung between the upper and the nether world, and 
liable to incursions from both."* 

Good. ' ' Such phrases as good my lord, good my 
friends are very common ; whence good comes to be 
used without an accompanying noun as a kind of in- 
terjection." Wright. Cf. line 16 ; Hamlet, I. 1. 70 ; 
Winter's Tale, V. 1. 19. In line 18 good is used in a 
different sense. It there expresses Gonzalo's endorse- 
ment or assent to what the Boatswain has said. 

Tarely. Nimbly, quickly. Cf. V. 1. 224. 

Gheerly. Cheerfully. Shakespeare frequently ad-ds 
ly to a noun, and makes it an adverb. Cf . Abbott, 
Grammar, § 447. 

Tare. Ready, brisk, Cf. line 37 ; V. 1. 224, 
where the word refers to the ship ; Antony and Cleo., 
V. 2. 286. 

Blow, seq. The Boatswain apostrophizes the 
wind. 

If room enough. If there be sea-room. Note the 
ellipsis, There is. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, § 403. 



* " Among my Books," p. 



374 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Play the men. Act like men, be brave. 

WJiat cares these roarers, seq. A verb in the singu- 
lar preceding a noun in the plural w^hich governs 
it is very frequent in the plays. Cf. Abbott, Gram- 
mar, § 335. Wright remarks : " This construction, 
though so commonly used, was no more grammati- 
cally correct in Shakespeare's time than it is in ours. 
In many instances it may be due to transcriber or 
printer. " 

Roarers. Billows. 

Hand. Handle. 

Complexion. "Temperament." Wright. "Ex- 
ternal appearance." Schmidt. 

Perfect gallotcs. Reference is to the proverb, " He 
that is born to be hanged will never be drowned." 

Bring her to try, seq. Bring her as close to the 
wind as possible. 

This howling. Reference is to the cry within. 

IncharitaUe. On the use of in for un, un for in, 
cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 442. 

Warrant him for droiDning. ''For may either 
mean ' against ' or ' for what concerns.' " Abbott, 
Grammar, § 154, q.v. 

Lay her a-hold, seq. Bring the ship close to the 
wind. 

TiDO courses. The mainsail and the foresail. 

Must our mouths be cold? That is, cold in death. 

Merely. Absolutely. 

Wid'st. At most. 

To glut. To engulph. 

The wills above, seq. The will of the Power above, 
seq. 



THE TEMPEST. 



375 



On Shakespeare's description of the management 
of the ship in the storm the second Lord Mulgrave, a 
distinguished naval officer, says : 

" The first scene of The Tempest is a very striking 
instance of the great accuracy of Shakespeare's 
knowledge in a professional science, the most difficult 
to attain without the help of experience. He must 
have acquired it by conversation with some of the 
most skilful seamen of that time." Lord Mulgrave 
then gives the following analysis of Shakespeare's 
description : 



FIRST POSITION. 

Fall to 't, yarely, or toe 
run ourselves aground. 



SECOND POSITION. 

Tare, yare, take in the 
topsail, blow till thou 
hurst thy wind, if room 
enough. 



FIRST POSITION. 

Land discovered under 
the lee ; the wind blow- 
ing too fresh to hawl 
upon a wind with the 
topsail set. Yare is an 
old sea term for briskly, 
in use at that time. This 
first command is there- 
fore a notice to be ready 
to execute any orders 
quickly. 

SECOND POSITION. 

The topsail is taken 
in. Blow till thou hurst 
thy wind, if room enough. 
The danger in a good sea 
boat is only from being 
too near the land ; this 
is introduced here to ac- 
count for the next order. 



376 



HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAKE. 



THIRD POSITION. 

Down with the top- 
mast ! Tare ! loicer, loic- 
er! bring her to try with 
the main-course. 



FOURTH POSITION. 

Lay her a hold, a hold ; 
set her two courses, off to 
sea again, lay her off. 



FIFTH POSITION. 

We split, we 



THIRD POSITION. 

The gale increasing, 
the topmast is struck, to 
take the weight from 
aloft, make the ship drift 
less to leeward, and bear 
the mainsail under which 
the ship is laid to. 

FOURTH POSITION. 

The ship, having driven 
near the shore, the main- 
sail is hawled up ; the 
ship wore, and the two 
courses set on the other 
tack, to endeavor to 
clear the land that way. 

FIFTH POSITION. 

The ship, not able to 
weather a point, is driven 
on shore. 
Malone, Variorum Edition, 1821, Vol. XV., pp. 
184-186. 

For another description, by Captain E. K. Calver, 
R.K, F.R.S., cf. Clarendon Press Edition, Preface, 
pp. xvii.-xix. 

Still another, by T. J. Turner, can be found in 
Shakespeariana, Vol. II., pp. 83-85. 

Scene 2. 
Wright calls attention to the number of lines in 
this play which " end with unemphatic monosylla- 
bles, making the verse sound like prose— e.g., lines 



THE TEMPEST. 377 

13, 17, 54 of this scene. " This is characteristic of 
Shakespeare's latest manner. On this subject vide 
Professor Ingram's paper, " The Weak and Light 
Endings in Shakespeare," Transactions New Shake- 
speare Society, 1874, pp. 442-456. 

Welkin's cheek. The sky. Cf. Richard 11. , III. 
3.57. 

Fire. A dissyllable, pronounced like jier. Cf. 
Abbott, Grammar, § 480. 

Brave vessel, icho, seq. Who here refers to vessel, 
which has been personified. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, 
§ 264. 

Or ere. Or ever. Cf. Macbeth, IV. 3. 173 ; King 
John, IV. 3. 20. 

Fraughting. Fraught is freight ; fraughting souls 
are the souls of those who composed the freight. 

Compare the description of the storm here with 
that in Othello, I. 2. 

More better. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 11. 

Full. Entire, complete. Cf. line 250. 

Wrack. Shakespeare always uses the word in this 
form — e.g., lines 390, 418, 488. Wreck was pro- 
nounced wrack in his day. 

Provision. Prevision. 

Betid. Happened. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 342. 

Bootless. Profitless. Cf . Merchant of Venice, III. 
3. 20. 

Out. Fully. 

Of any thing, seq. The sentence is inverted, as 
are also lines 204, 224. 

A piece. A sample. 

And 2yrincess. A princess. 



378 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Holp. Helped. 

Teen. Sorrow, trouble. Cf. Romeo and Juliet, I. 
3, 13. 

To whom put the manage, seq. To whom I con- 
fided the government. 

Through all the signiories, seq. Of all the duke- 
doms or states of Northern Italy that of Milan was 
the most important. 

Attend. Art thou attentive ? Cf. line 453. 

Who to advance. Who for w7wm. Cf. line 231 ; 
IV. 1. 4 ; also Abbott, Grammar, § 374. 

To trash for overtopping. * 'A metaphor taken from 
hunting. To trash a houn 1 was to check or hamper 
him, so that he would not overtop or outrun the 
pack." Rolfe. 

The key. The tuning-key. 

Closeness. Retirement, seclusion. 

O'er prized, seq. Prospero means that by means 
of study in his retirement he progressed far beyond 
what the public knew. 

Like a good parent, seq. A parent whose children 
are not as good as himself. 

Lorded. Invested with the authority of a lord. 

Who having unto truth, seq. One who told so 
many lies that he comes eventually to believe his 
own false statements. 

Out o' the substitution. Owing to the fact that I 
had substituted him for myself. 

Absolute Milan. To have no one between himself 
and the position he filled he would become absolutely 
the Duke of Milan. 

Confederates. Conspires, forms a league with. 



THE TEMPEST. 379 

Mark Ms condition, and the event. Note what he 
did, and the result thereof. 

Hearkens. Listens to. 

In lieu o' the premises. In fulfilment of the con- 
ditions. 

Presently. At once. 

Fated. Made favorable by fate to the plan. 

Thy crying self. " The power of poetry is, by a 
single word perhaps, to instil that energy into the 
mind which compels the imagination to produce the 
picture. . . Here, by introducing a single happy 
epithet, crying, . . a complete picture is presented to 
the mind, and in the production of such pictures the 
power of genius consists." Coleridge. 

Hint. Subject. Cf. II. 1. 3 ; also OtJiello, I. 3. 
142. 

Wrings. Forces me to cry. 

The ichich. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 270. 

Impertinent. Irrelevant. 

In few. To be brief, in few words. 

Hoist. " To draw up (sails)." Schmidt. 

Did us hut loving wrong. " Only injured us by 
their sympathetic sighing — that is, blowing. " Rolfe. 

Deck'd. Spriukled. 

Undergoing stomach. Courage to endure. 

Steaded. Have been of great use to us. 

Gentleness. Goodness. 

NoiD I arise. The meaning is doubtful. Possibly 
it may mean that Prospero will come successfully 
out of all this trouble. Cf. lines 180-184. 

More profit Than other princess, seq. Prospero 
means he has caused Miranda to make greater prog- 



380 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

ress intellectually than other princesses who have 
had more time . . and tutors not so careful. 

Beating. Stirring, moving, working. 

Fortune, seq. Fortune had favored him, cared for 
him, and was his dear lady. 

Prescience, seq. Cf. Julius Coesar, IV. 3, 218-221. 

JDulness. Sleepiness. 

Give it way. Give way to it. 

Quality. Powers, abilities. 

Performed to point. Done as I commanded thee in 
every particular. 

Beak. Bow. 

The waist. "That part of a ship which is con- 
tained between the quarter-deck and forecastle, 
being usually a hollow space, with an ascent of 
several steps to either of those places." Wright. 

Momentary. Cf. Troilus and Cressida, IV. 2. 14 ; 
Richard III., III. 4. 98. 

Coil. Turmoil, confusion. Cf. King John, II. 
1. 65. 

A fever of the mad. A fever similar to that of one 
who is delirious. 

Afire. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 24. 

That's my spirit. Cf. line 300. 

Not a hair perish' d. Cf. line 30. 

Sustaining garments. Meaning uncertain, but 
probably the garments that bore them up, as did 
Ophelia's. Cf. Hamlet, IV. 7. 176, 177. 

Arms in this sad knot. " Folded arms were a 
token of melancholy." Wright. 

Safely. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 78. 

Bermoothes. Bermudas. 



THE TEMPEST. 381 

For. As regards. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 149. 

Flote. Flood. 

Two glasses. Two hour-glasses — i.e., two hours. 
Cf. V. 1. 223 ; /. Henry VL, IV. 2. 35. 

Preciously. " Valuably ; in business of great im- 
portance." Schmidt. 

Rememher. Remind. 

Performed me. For omitted. Cf. Abbott, Gram- 
mar, § 220. 

Grudge. Complaint. 

Ooze. The muddy bottom. 

Envy. Malice. 

Argier. Algiers. 

Sorceries terrible. Too terrible, seq. 

For. Because. 

Hests. Commands. 

Correspondent. Obedient. 

Spriting. Duties as a sprite, spirit. 

Heaviness. Sleepiness. Cf. II. 1. 182. 

'Tisa villain. Cf. Othello, V. 2. 239; Macbeth, 
I. 4. 58. 

Miss. Do without. 

Wienf Cf. p. 109. 

Wicked. Poisonous. 

A south-west, seq. The southwest wind, which 
was supposed to bring storms and noxious vapors. 
Cf. Cm-iolanus, I. 4. 30 ; II. 3. 34, 35 ; As You Like 
It, III. 5. 50. 

Urchins shall, for that vast of night, seq. Sprites, 
hobgoblins for that part of the night during which 
they can work, shall exercise, practice, on thee. 

Sty me. Pen me in a sty. 



382 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Whiles. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 137. 

Filth. A term of extreme contempt. 

Race. Nature. 

Into. Cf. lines 275, 278. 

The red plague. " Tlie leprosy." Rolfe. "Ery- 
sipelas." Steevens. Cf. Coriolanus, IV. 1. 13 ; 
Troilus and Cressida, II. 1. 20. 

Mid you. Make away with you, destroy you. 

Learning. In Shakespeare's day learn meant to 
teach as well as to learn. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, 
§291. 

Thou'rt best. It were best. A common idiom, 
frequently used by Shakespeare. Cf. //. Henry VI., 
II. 1. 189 ; Cymbeline, III. 6. 19 ; Ttoelfth Night, II. 
2. 27. 

Old cramps. Old here used as intensive epithet. 
Cf. Merry Wives of Windsor, I. 4. 5 ; Much Ado 
About Nothing, V. 2. 98. 

Setebos. The chief god of the Patagonians. 

Curtsied . . kiss'd. This was customary at that 
time, when dancing. Cf . Henry VIll. , I. 4. 95, 96. 

Kiss'd, The wild loaves whist. " If we take kiss'd 
to refer to the fairies who before beginning their 
dance courtsy to and kiss their partners, the words 
The wild leaves whist must be read parenthetically, the 
wild waves being silent, and as it is Ariel's music that 
stills the waves, and not the fairies, this seems to be 
the better reading. " Wright. 

Foot it. Cf. Borneo and Juliet, I. 5. 28 ; also Ab- 
bott, Grammar, § 226. 

Featly. Nimbly. 

Ihe burthen bear. "The burthen of a song, in 



THE TEMPEST. 383 

the old acceptation of the word, was the base, foot, 
or under-song. It was sung throughout, and not 
merely at the end of a verse. . . Many of these 
burdens were short, proverbial expressions, such as — 

*Tis merry in hall lolien beards wag all. 

Other burdens were mere nonsense words that went 
glibly off the tongue, giving the accent of the music, 
such as hey nonny, nonny no ; hey derry down." 
" Popular Music of the Olden Time," Chappell, pp. 
222, 223. 

Waits upon. Is intended for. 

Charles Lamb compares Ariel's Song with A Land 
Dirge, by J. Webster (cf. Palgrave's " Golden 
Treasury," No. LXVL). " I never saw anything like 
this funeral dirge except the ditty which reminds 
Ferdinand of his drowned father in The Tempest. 
As that is of the water, watery ; so this is of the 
earth, earthy. Both have that intenseness of feel- 
ing which seems to resolve itself into the element 
which it contemplates." 

Ditty doth remember, seq. This song mentions, 
refers to, seq. 

Nor no. Double negative. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, 
§406. 

Owes. Owns. Cf. line 454. 

Advance. Raise. 

Wench. "A female person, . . not always in a 
bad sense, as at present, but used as a general famil- 
iar expression, in any variation of tone between 
tenderness and contempt." Schmidt. 

Canker. Canker-worm. Cf. p. 274. 



384 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

May know . . And that, seq. That omitted and 
then inserted. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 285. 

A single thing. Ferdinand means that he and the 
King of Naples are one and the same thing. Cf. 
line 434. Fie then plays upon the word, as I am 
now — i.e., solitary. 

His brave son. "Some believe that this sc>7i may 
have been taken from the story on which the play 
was possibly founded. Staunton conjectures that 
he was one of the characters as the play was first 
written, but was omitted when it was printed. . . 
Fleay suggests that ' perhaps Francisco is what is 
left of him.' It had occurred to us long before 
Fleay's Manual was published, that Francisco might 
be Antonio's son ; and an examination of the two 
speeches assigned to him (II. 1. 110, seq. ; III. 3. 40, 
seq.) confirms the conjecture." Kolfe. 

More braver. Double comparative. Cf. Abbott, 
Grammar, § 11. 

Control. Ccnitradict. 

Have done y>ur self some wrong. You are mistaken. 

If a virgin . . affection not gone. On the ellipsis, 
cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 387. 

111. Evil. 

There's nothing ill. The relative is omitted. Cf. 
Abbott, Grammar, § 244. 

Gentle . . not fearful. Oi gentle\Aootl,\i.\g\\h\Yt\\, 
and therefore courageous. 

There is . . sJiapes. " Inflection in s preceding a 
plural subject. Abbott, Grammar, § 335," q.v. 

Nerves, Sinews. 



THE TEMPEST. 385 

ACT II. 

Scene 1. 

Masters of some merchant . . merchant. The first 
merchant means ship, the second, a trader. Masters 
may mean owners of the ship. 

Winding up the icatch. " The invention of strik- 
ing watches is ascribed to Peter Hele, of Nurem- 
berg, about the year 1510." Wright. 

Dollar . . dolour. For a similar pun, cf . Lear, II. 
5.54. 

Cockerel. A young cock. Reference is to Adrian, 

A laughter. ' ' Antonio won the wager, and was 
paid by having the laugh against Sebastian." Rich- 
ard Grant White. 

Temperance. "Temperature. Antonio takes up 
the word as a female name, and it was so used by 
the Puritans." Rolfe. 

Lush. Luxuriant, juicy. 

Eye of green. A slight shade, a tinge of green. 

0' that. About that. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 174. 

The miraculous harp. Reference is to the harp of 
Amphion. He and his brother Zethus took posses- 
sion of Thebes, and when the walls were building, 
the stones, under the influence of Amphion's lyre, 
moved of their own accord to their places. 

Rate. Estimation. 

Cause to wet, seq. Your daughter is lost to you 
by living go far away. This is another cause to 
make you grieve. 

Loathness. Unwillingness. 



386 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Dear' at o' the loss. ' ' Throughout Shakespeare, 
and all the poets of his and a much later day, we 
find this epithet {dearest) applied to that person or 
thing which, for or against us, excites the liveliest 
interest. . . It may be said to be equivalent gener- 
ally to very, and to import the excess, the utmost, 
the superlative, of that to which it is applied." Cal- 
decott. Cf. V. 1. 146 ; also Ramlet, I. 2. 182. 

Chirurgeoiily. "In the manner of a surgeon." 
Schmidt. 

Plantation. " A first planting, a first founding of 
laws and manners." Schmidt. Antonio accepts it 
in the sense of planting It is an example of Shake- 
speare's play upon words. 

Mallows. " The plant Mai va." Schmidt. 

V the commonwealth, seq. This description is evi- 
dently taken by Shakespeare from Florio's transla- 
tion of Montaigne (Book I., chap, xxx,, p. 102), of 
which Shakespeare owned a copy, which copy is now 
in the British Museum. 

Bourn. Boundary. 

Tilth. Tillage. Cf. Measure for Measure, I. 4. 44. 

Foison. Plenty. Cf. IV. 1. 110. 

Nothing. Nonsense. 

Sensible. Sensitive. Cf. Measure for Measure, 
III. 1. 120. 

An. If. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 101. 

Flat-long. " Not edgewise, but with the flat side 
downward." Schmidt. 

Would continue. " Would here is certainly used for 
the conditional should. Dr. Abbott (Grammar, § 329) 
says that to assert this is ' a natural and common 



THE TEMPEST. 387 

mistake.' But it cannot be denied that Elizabethan 
writers employed would in constructions in which 
we now use should." Wright. 

A hat fowling. On A, of. Abbott, Grammar, 
§ 140. " Bat-fowling, a mode of catching birds at 
night by means of torches, poles, and sometimes of 
nets." Schmidt. 

Adventure my discretion. "Risk my reputation for 
discretion. 

Occasion speaks thee. The opportunity presents 
itself. 

Wink'st whiles, seq. Closest thine eyes while, seq. 

If heed me. If yon intend to heed me. Cf. Abbott, 
Grammar, § 387. 

Standing water. A metaphor for indecision. Cf . 
p. 64. 

Ebbing men. Men whose fortunes are declining. 
Cf. Antony and Cleo., I. 3. 43. 

Lord of weak remembrance, Alonso, whose mem- 
ory is weak, and the memory of whom, when he is 
buried, will soon be forgotten. 

Only Professes to ijersuade. " Persuasion is his 
only profession." Wright. 

But doubts discovery there. "To be uncertain 
about what it finds there ; the point being at the 
extreme limit of ambitious vision," Wright. 

Beyond man's life. Both Antonio and Sebastian 
are speaking in hyperbole. 

Note. Information. 

Till new-born chins, seq. The time that elapses 
from the birth of a boy till his chin becomes 
bearded. 



388 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAEE. 

She from whom, seq. The construction is imper- 
fect. Meaning is, that all from whom Claribel could 
receive any knowledge have been drowned, except 
we two who were ca%t again — i.e., saved. That des- 
tiny by which we have been saved now fates us to 
perform an act, seq. Cf. Macbeth, I. 3. 128. 

Yours and my discharge. Is for you and me to do. 

Chough of as deep chat. I could make a chough 
who would talk as wisely as Gonzalo. 

Feater. More gracefully. 

Kibe. Chilblain. 

Candied, seq. If I had twenty consciences, let 
them be frozen or melted ere they molest! 

Perpetual wink for aye. That is, asleep forever. 

Take suggestion. Follow our commands. 

To fall it. Let it fall. 

Sudden. Quick. 

Why are you drawn ? Why have you dragon your 
swords ? Cf. Abbott, Gi-ammar, § 374. 

Even now. Just now\ 

ThaVs verily. Adverb after is. Cf . Abbott, Gram- 
mar, § 78. 

Scene 3. 

Inch-meal. Meal means a part. Shakespeare uses 
limb-meal, Cymbeline, II. 4. 147. "We use piece-m^::l. 
Inch-meal means inch by inch. 

Urchin-shows. Apparitions of spirits, hobgoblins. 

Like hedgehogs, which. Which used instead of 
that, because former is more emphatic. Cf . Abbott, 
Grammar, § 261. 

Wound, Encircled. 



THE TEMPEST. 389 

And to torment, seq. The ellipsis is he comes. Cf . 
Abbott, Grammar, §§ 96, 97. 

Bombard. A flagon or vessel for holding liquor. 

Poor- John. "A coarse kind of fish (called also 
hake), salted and dried." Schmidt. 

Make a man. Make a fortune for a man. 

A doit. A very small coin. 

Gaberdine. A smock-frock, long and loose. Cf . 
Merchant of Venice, I. 3. 100. 

Shroud. Conceal myself. Cf. III. Henry VI., 
III. 1. 1. 

Swabber. One who vpashes the decks. 

Tang. An unpleasant sound. 

Tour. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 221. 

Give ground. Retreat. 

Neat's leather. Cf. p. 103. 

After the wisest. In the wisest manner. 

Will not take too much, seq. Spoken ironically. I 
will take all I can get. 

Cat. "Alluding to the proverb, ' Good liquor 
will make a cat speak.' " Rolfe. 

Have no long spoon. Reference to proverb quoted 
in Comedy of Errors, IV. 3. 64 : 

Marry, he must have a long spoon that must eat with 
the devil. 

Siege. Excrement. 

Moon-calf. An abortion, a monstrosity. 

Sack. White wines of Spain. Cf . /. Henry IV. , 
I. 2. 3 ; II. 4. 587, 592. 

Hast any more. For omission of thou, cf. Abbott, 
Grammar, § 241. 



390 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Thy dog and thy hush. Cf. Midsummer Night's 
Dream, V. 1. 136. 

By this good light. A common oath. Cf . III. 2. 14. 

Pig-nuts. Earth-nuts, a common weed in old up- 
land pastures. Cf. " Plant-Loro, etc., of Shake- 
speare," Ellacombe, p. 205. 

Scamels. No one knows what scamels are. The 
various guesses on the subject can be found in Fur- 
ness's Variorum Edition, pp. 138-140. 

Hey-day. An exclamation of joy. Cf. Hamlet, 
III. 4. 69. 

ACT III. 
Scene 1. 

There he some sports. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, § 244, 
300. 

Mistress which. On tlie use of which, cf . Abbott, 
Grammar, § 265. 

Most husy, least. A crux. Probably means, as 
Spedding suggests, Most busiest when idlest. Cf. 
Furness, in loco, for a list of the emendations sug- 
gested. Cf., also, Romeo and Juliet, I. 1. 134. 

Yours it is against. The preposition is transposed. 
Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 203. 

Infected . . msitation. " Prospero adopts lan- 
guage which was familiar when the plague was of 
common occurrence. Cf. Love's Labour's J^ost, V. 
2. 419-423." Wright. 

Fut it to the foil. Foiled it, defeated it. 

Skilless. Ignorant. 

To like of. Cf. Much Ado About Nothing, V. 4. 59 ; 
Taming of the Shrew, II. 1. 65. 



THE TEMPEST. 391 

Blow. Cf . Antony and Cleo. , V. 2. 60. 
Hollowly. Insincerely. 
"Wliat else, seq Everything else. 
To weep, seq. Cf. Macbeth, I. 4. 33-35. 
My book. " My conjuring book." "Wright. Cf. 
III. 2. 87 ; V. 1. 57. 

Scene 2. 

Bear up. A sailor's term, meaning to keep a ves- 
sel off her course. Cf. Othello, I. 3. 8. 

Be brained. Have such brains. 

Standard. Standard-bearer. 

He's no standard. " Is too drunk to stand." 
Wright. 

Justle. To jostle, to wrestle. 

Deboshed. Debauched. 

Natural. An idiot. 

Dare not. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, § 361. 

Pied ninny. Reference is to Trinculo, who was a 
jester and was in his motley dress. 

Quick- freshes. The springs. 

Stock-fish. ' ' Beat thee as stock-fish (dried cod) is 
beaten before it is boiled." Dyce. 

Wezand. Windpipe. 

That most deeply, seq. That which is most deeply 
to be considered, seq. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, ^§ 244, 
359, 405. 

Troll the catch. Sing the part-song. Cf . p. 68. 

The picture of Nobody. " Probably an allusion to 
a ludicrous figure (head, arms, and legs without a 
trunk or body), printed on the old popular ballad of 
The Well-Spoken Nobody {B.Ql\\^Q\\y' Rolfe. 



392 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAEE. 

Taborer. "A small drum. Accompanied by a 
pipe. Used by fools. " Schmidt. 

Scene 3. 

By 'r lakin. Cf. p. 371. 

Forthrights and meanders. Straight paths and 
crooked ones. 

Throughly. Thoroughly. 

Will not, nor cannot. I neither will nor can, seq. 
Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 408. 

A living drollery. A puppet show. 

Certes. Surely. 

Praise in departing. Do not praise until you de- 
part, otherwise you. may have to retract it. 

Bew-lapiiid. Reference is probably to the moun- 
taineers of Switzerland, so many of whom have 
goitres. 

Whose heads, seq. Cf. Othello, I. 3. 144. 

Each jmtter-out of Jive for one. This is a reference 
to the custom, common in Shakespeare's day, of a man 
investing a sum of money before starting on a long- 
journey, on the condition that if he returned he 
should have five times the amount invested. 

Three men, seq. Cf. V. 1. 11, 12. 

To belch up you. Cf . Hamlet, V. 2. 14 ; Abbott, 
Grammar, § 249. 

Bowie. A fibre of down. 

Like. Likewise. 

Heart's sorrow . . clear life, seq . The only thing 
that can save Alouso is repentance and a blameless 
life. 



THE TEMPEST. 393 

Good life . . observation strange, seq. True to 
life and with careful attentiou to my orders, seq. 

Knit up. Tightl}^ bound. 

Bass my trespass. In a bass voice did proclaim my 
trespass. 

Ecstasy, Frenzy, insanity. Cf. Macbeth, III. 3. 
22. 

ACT IV. 

Scene 1. 

Who once, seq. Vide note under I. 2. 

Strangely. Surprising! y . 

Boast her off. Speak of her boastfully. 

Aspersion. "Sprinkling. There is, perhaps, an 
allusion to the old ceremony of sprinkling the mar- 
riage-bed with holy water." Rolfe. Cf. p. 281. 

Our iDorser genius. "In mediaeval theology, the 
rational soul is an angel, the lowest in the hierarchy 
for being clothed for a time in the perishing vesture of 
the body. But it is not necessarily an angel of light. 
It may be a good or evil genius, a guardian angel or 
a fallen spirit, a demon of light or darkness. Edin- 
burgh Review, July, 18G9, p. 98." Cited by Wright. 

Spoke. Cf . Abbott, Grammar, § 343. 

Rabble. Reference is to thy meaner fellows. 

Vanity. Spectacle, illusion. 

Presently. Immediately. 

Twink. Twinkling. 

Corollary. Surplus, supernumerary. 

Leas. Pastures. 

Vetches. " An excellent and easily grown fodder 



394 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

plant, probably introduced into England by the 
Romans." Ellacombe. 

Stover. "The common word for hay or straw." 
Ellacombe. 

Dismissed. Rejected. 

For a description of the plants mentioned here and 
elsewhere in the play, ^'^■(^e Ellacombe's " Plant-Lore, 
etc., of Shakespeare." 

Her peacocks. Juno's chariot was drawn by pea- 
cocks. 

Bosky. Woody. 

To estate. To give. 

Dusky Dis. Pluto, who carried off Proserpine. 
Cf. Winter's Tale, IV. 4. 118, seq. 

Scandal" d. Disgraceful. 

Mar's hot minion. Venus. 

Foison. Vide note under II. 1. 

Wonder' d. A father who can work wonders. 

Crisp. Rutfled. 

Avoid. Withdraw, begone. 

Distemper'd. Ill-humored, distracted. Cf. line 
158. seq. 

Inherit. Possess. 

Rack. A cloud. 

On. Of. 

Cleave to. Follow exactly. Cf. Macbeth, 1\. \. 2^. 

Presented. Represented. 

Stale. Decoy. 

Line. Lime-tree. Cf. V. 1. 10. 

Played the Jack. Cf. Much Ado, I. 1. 186. 

A frippery. A shop where second-hand clothes are 
sold. 



THE TEMPEST. 395 

By line and level. By rule. 

Pass of pate. Sally of wit. 

Lime. Bird lime. 

Foreheads mllanous low. "A low forehead was 
regarded as a deformity." Wright. Cf. Two 
Gentlemen of Verona, IV. 4. 198 ; Antony and Gleo., 
in. 3. 35. 

Pard. Panther. 

Cat o' mountain. Wild eat. 

Soundly. Thoroughly. 

ACT V. 

Scene 1. 

Crack. Break, fail. 

Time goes upright, seq. Bears his burden. 

You said, seq. Cf. I. 2. 240, 241. 

Line-grow. Grove of lime-trees. 

Weather-fends. Defends, protects from the weather. 

Him. He. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, i^ 208. 

That relish all as sharply, Passion as they. Wright 
punctuates as above, and makes Passion a verb, 
equivalent to, express deep feeling. He explains 
j)assage, "that feels as keenly the emotions of joy 
and express sorrow as they do. ' ' Schmidt also makes 
Passion a verb. Others dissent— e.g., Rolfe, who 
explains the passage, " that feel everything with the 
same quick sensibility, and that are fully as sensi- 
tive to suffering." 

Green sour ringlets. Cf. Merry Wives of Windsor, 
V. 5. 69, 70 ; Midsummer-Nighfs Dream, HI. 80. 

Spurs. Roots. 



B96 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Unsettled fancy. An imagiuation which is un- 
settled, disturbed. 

Sociable to. S^^mpalhetic with. 

Mantle. Cover. 

Thy graces. Thy kindnesses. Cf. I. 2. 159-168. 

Home. Thoroughly, to the full. 

Remorse. Feeling. 

Disease. Disguise. Cf. WintefsTale,lY.^.&^'^; 
Measure for Measure, II. 4. 13. 

Me. Myself. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 223. 

An if this be at all. If this be a reality. 

Thy dukedom I resign. Cf. I. 2. 123-127 ; II. 1. 
106, 107. 

I am woe. I am sorry. 

Bear loss. Great loss. 

Do so much admire. Are so much surprised. 

Glasses. Vide note under I. 2. 

Tare. Vide note under I. 1. 

Tricksy. " Full of tricks and devices." Schmidt. 

Moping. Surprised and blinded. Cf. Hamlet, 
III. 4. 81. 

Conduct Guide. Cf. Romeo and Juliet, III. 1. 129, 

Single Fll resolve. I myself will explain. 

Every. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 12. 

Coragio. Italian for courage. Cf. AlVs Well, II. 
5. 97. 

Be. Cf. Abbott, Grammar, § 300. 

Setebos. Cf. I. 2. 374. 

Badges. Disguises. Reference is to the clothes 
they had stolen. 

Without her power. Beyond her power. 

Gilded them. Made them drunk. 



THE TEMPEST. 397 

Fly-blowing. " Stains made by flies." Schmidt. 

Trim it. Put. it in order. 

Poor cell. Cf. I. 2. 20. 

Epilogue. "It is well known that the Prologues 
and Epilogues of the English Drama are generally 
written by other persons than the authors of the 
plays, and White with good reason thinks that this 
Epilogue, though printed in the folio, bears internal 
evidence of being no exception to the rule. The 
thoughts are ' poor and commonplace, ' and the 
rhythm is ' miserable and eminently un-Shakespear- 
ian.' It is apparently from the same pen as the 
Epilogue to Henry VIII. — ' possibly Ben Jonson's, 
whose verses they much resemble.' " Holfe. 

Ilelj) of your good hands. Your applause. 

Believed by prayer. The allusion probably is to 
" the custom, prevalent in Shakespeare's time, of 
concluding the play by a prayer, offered up kneeling, 
for the sovereign. " Jephson. 

Mercy itself . " The divine Mercy." Rolfe. 

Frees all faults. Preposition/;-^??^ is omitted. Cf. 
Abbott, Grammar, § 200. 

III. Table of Acts and Scenes in which each 
character appears. Also, number of lines 
spoken by each character. Also, group- 
ing of minor characters, to be read in a 
reading club by one person. 

No. of 
Lines. 

665 Prospero, I, 2 ; III, 1, 3 ; IV, 1 ; V, 1. Epilogue. 

179 Caliban, I, 2; II, :>; III, 2 ; IV, 1 ; V, 1. 

174 Stephano. II, 2 : III 2 ; I V. 1 r V, 1. 

165 Gonzalo, I, 1 ; II, 1 ; III, 3 ; V, 1. 

148 Antonio, I, 1 ; II. 1 : III, 3 ; V, 1. 

140 Ferdinand, I, 2 ; III, 1 ; IV, 1 ; V, 1. 



398 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 



122 Sebastian, I, 1 ; II, 1 ; III. .3 ; V, 1. 
112 Trinculo, 11,2; III,!?; IV, 1 ; V, 1. 



V, 1. 



110 

46 

12 

11 

8 

4 

190 

142 

41 

24 

7 


Alonso, I, 1 ; II, 1 ; III, 3 ; V, 1. 

Boatswain, I, 1 ; V, 1. 

Adrian, II, 1; III, 3. 

Francisco, II, 1 ; 111,3. 

"All," I, 1,2. 

Master, I, 1. 

Ariel, I, 2; II, 1; 111,2,3; IV, 1 : 

Miranda, I, 2 ; III, 1 ; IV, 1 ; V, 1. 

Iris, IV, 1. 

Ceres, IV, 1. 

Juno, IV, 1. 




Boatswain. } 
Iris. f 




Adrian. 
Ceres. 




Francisco. ) 
Master. V 
Juno. ) 


IV. 


Questions. 



ACT I. 

'^ 1. "What reasons are there for believing that the 
story wliich is dramatized in this play is original 
with Shakespeare ? 

^ 2. There are critics who think that Shakespeare 
derived some hints for the plot from certain stories 
and essays. What are those stories and essays ? 

3. Where is placed the scene of this drama ? 

4. What does Lowell say on this subject ? 

5. What description is given in the play of this 
island ? 

6. Did the storm described in the first scene sug- 
gest the title of the play ? 

Ans. Undoubtedl}^ I. As an actual tempest ; ac- 
tual, not in the sense of having really occurred, 
but of being conceived andpoitrayedasa real storm. 



THE TEMPEST. 399 

It. As a iiietapliorical or allegorical temj^est, repre- 
senting the calamities and disasters of human life. 
^ 7. Who raised this tempest ? 
Alls. Cf. I. 1. 1, 2 ; V. 1. 6. 

8. What is the meaning of yarely ? 

9. What response does the Boatswain make to the 
advice and commands of Alonso, Antonio, Gonzales? 

10. What reflections thereon does Gonzalo make ? 

11. What commands does the Boatswain, in his 
effort to save the ship, give to the mariners ? 

12. What angry words does he utter to Sebastian, 
Antonio, Gonzalo ? 

13. What is the meaning of must our mouths be 
cold ? 

14. Is Shakespeare's description of this storm 
technically accurate ? 

Ans. Cf. pp. 375, 376. 

15. Why does Shakespeare begin this play with 
the description of a storm ? 

Ans. In ancient times, and in Shakespeare's day 
as well, the elements -were supposed to be in very 
close sympathy with human joy and sorrow. It 
was believed that Nature, both animate and inani- 
mate, was profoundly disturbed by impending dis- 
aster. 

Thou see'st the heavens, as troubled with man's act 
Threaten his bloody stage. 

Macbeth, II. 4. 5, G. 

The storm with which this play opens is intended 
to recall the foul play by which Prospero was robbed 
of his dukedom, and he and Miranda were heaved 
hence out of Milan, and to what was hoped by his 



400 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

enemies would be a cruel death. It is intended, also, 
to be a punishment upon the doers of that wicked 
deed. 

16. How does the description of this storm com- 
pare with that of the storm in Pericles, III. 1 ? 

17. What is the nature of this opening scene ? 
Ans. It is of the nature of a prologue. 

-- 18. What quality of her nature does Miranda re- 
veal in her first words ? 

~ 19. Who caused and controlled the storm ? 
^- 20. What further dramatic function does the storm 
now have ? 

Ans. It gives Prospero an opportunity to relate to 
Miranda all the circumstances which have caused her 
and himself to be in this island. These circum- 
stances are the causes of the action of this drama. 
It is necessary the spectators of the drama should be 
thoroughly informed of them. The dramatic pur- 
pose of til is recital of them is to convey to the spec- 
tators that necessary information. 
^^ 21. What does Prospero's mantle symbolize ? 

Ans. His power as a magician. His a?-^ by means 
of which he controls Nature and Spirits. 

22. Why does he lay it aside when he begins to re- 
late to Miranda the circumstances of their previous 
lives ? 

Ans. Because he temporarily ceases to exercise his 
function as the Enchanter, the Magician, which is 
his function in this drama, and assumes his other 
character — viz., that of her Father, the Duke of 
Milan. 



THE TEMPEST. 401 

23. Have any of those who were in the ship been 
lost ? 

24. To whom do they owe their safety ? 

25. How old was Miranda when slie and Prospero 
arrived on the island ? 

26. How many years had they been there ? 

27. Who were Miranda's parents ? 

28. To whom did Prospero delegate liis powers as 
Duke of Milan ? 

29. Why did Prospero abdicate his power ? 

30. What does Prospero say regarding his love of 
study and of books ? 

31. What is the dramatic purpose of this ? 

A71S. To foreshadow his government of the island, 
in which his constant companion and guide was my 
book. Cf. V. 1. 50-57. 

32. What did Antonio do which manifested his 
base betrayal of Prospero's confidence ? 

33. Why was Miranda inattentive ? 

Ans. To give Prospero an opportunity to call her 
attention, and in so doing the attention of the spec- 
tators of the drama, to his narration. 

34. What compact did Antonio make with the 
King of Naples ? 

35. What plan did Antonio carry out by means of 
which he hoped to rid himself forever of Prospero 
and Miranda ? 

36. How were they saved ? 

37. Who aided them ? 

38. What account of their life in the island does 
Prospero give ? 



402 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

39. By what means were Prospeio's enemies 
brought to the island ? 

^ 40. What does Prospero say about a most auspi- 
cious star ? 

41. Was belief in planetary influence current in 
Sliakespeare's day ? 

Ans. Yes. Cf. " Folk-Loreof Shakespeare," Dyer, 
pp. 74-76. 

:^ 42. In what other play does Shakespeare make 
dramatic use of this belief ? 
Ans. Cf. Lear, I. 2. 

43. AYhat does Prospero say about the opportunity, 
the arrival of his enemies brings to him ? 
i- 44. Why is Miranda now made to sleep ? 

Ans. To allow of the introduction of another most 
important actor in this drajna — viz., Ariel. 
■^ 45. Who was Ariel ? 
~ -■ 46. What does he personify ? 

- 47. Of what character in this drama is he the 
antithesis ? 

48. What duties could he perform ? 

49. What mission of Prospero has he executed in 
connection with the King's ship ? 

50. What description does Ariel give of the imme- 
diate effect of the storm on those who were on board 
the King's sMiJ? 

51. Where was the still-vexed Bermootbes ? 

52. What became of the other vessels in the fleet ? 

53. Of what promise of Prospero does Ariel now 
demand the fulfilment ? 

54. In what frame of mind does Prospero receive 
this demand ? 



THE TEMPEST. 403 

^^ 55. What is the dramatic purpose of this quarrel 
between Prosper© and Ariel ? 

Ans. I. To give Prospero an opportunity, when 
chiding Ariel, to inform the spectators of the drama 
of Ariel's history, wiiich information it is absolutely 
necessary they should have in order to appreciate 
Ariel's part in the action of the drama. II. To give 
an opportunity for the revelation of the characters 
of Prospero and Ariel. 

56. Who was Sycornx ? 

57. Where was Argier ? 

58. Who was Caliban ? 

59. With what punishment docs Prospero threaten 
Ariel if he more mi(r7nur'st ? 

60. Does Ariel promise obedience ? 

61. What promise in return does Prospero make to 
him ? 

63. What command does Prospero now give to 
Ariel ? 

Ans. To bring Ferdinand. 

63. When Ariel departs who aw^akes ? 
\ 64. What other important actor in this drama is 
now introduced ? 

65. What description of Caliban do jVIiranda and 
Prospero give ? 
^ 66. In what form does Ariel now enter ? 

67. What curse on Prospero does Caliban utter ? 

68. With what punishment does Prospero threaten 
him ? 

69. What description of himself, his past, his pres- 
ent life does Caliban give ? 

70. What does Prospero say on this subject ? 



404 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

71. What was the first and most important thing 
that Prosi^ero taught Caliban ? 

Ans. Cf. I. 2. 361. 

72. Is this the beginning of education ? 

73. Is language one of the traits which most dis- 
tinguish men from the lower animals ? 

~^ 74. What does Caliban say of Prospero's power ? 

75. Who was Setebos ? 
^- 76. What does Caliban personify ? 

Ans. A Canihal, as cannibal was spelled in Shake- 
speare's day. 
-_. 77. What other important character is now intro- 
duced ? 

78. By whom is Ferdinand led to Prospero and 
Miranda ? 

' 79. By what means does Ariel enchant I* erdinand ? 
^ 80. What song does Ariel sing ? 

81. What was the effect on Ferdinand of this 
song ? 

82. What description of Ferdinand does Miranda 
give on first seeing him ? 

83. What is Prospero's description of him ? 

84. What description of Miranda does Ferdinand 
give ? 

85. What description does Ferdinand give of him- 
self ? 

86. Why does Prospero speak to Miranda so un- 
gently, and rebuke her so harshly when she expresses 
her fondness for Ferdinand ? 

Ans. Cf. I. 2. 449-451. 

87. Was the reason of Prospero's harsh treatment 
the same ? 



THE TEMPEST. 405 

A?is. Yes. 

88. Who was tlie brave fion of the Duke of Milan ? 

89. AVhat does Prospero say is the effect on Fer- 
dinand and Miranda of their meeting ? 

90. What is Shakespeare's description of love at 
first sight ? 

Ans. Cf. 1. 2. 440, 441. 

91. What feeling toward Ferdinand does Miranda 
express ? 

92. What toward Miranda does Ferdinand ex- 
press ? 

93. What comment does Prospero make thereon ? 

94. What does Prospero now say he must do ? 
Ans. Cf. I. 2. 449, 450. 

95. What is the dramatic purpose of this ? 

Ans. To prevent a premature commencement of 
the action of the drama ? 

96. What charge does Prospero make against 
Ferdinand ? 

97. With what punishment does he threaten him ? 

98. How does Ferdinand receive tliis threat ? 

99. In what way does Prospero manifest his en- 
chantment over Ferdinand ? 

100. What is the vaQimmgoi He's gentle, and not 
fearful ? 

101. What plea in behalf of Ferdinand does Mi- 
randa make ? 

102. What does Prospero say in response ? 

103. What expression of her affection for Ferdi- 
nand does Miranda now make ? 

104. What does Ferdinand say of his weakness, 
of its causes ? 



406 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

105. What of his feeling toward Miranda ? 

106. What words of comfort does Miranda speak 
to Ferdinand ? 

-^ 107. Witli wdiat commands, what promises of 
Prospero to Ariel, does this first Act end ? 

108. In this Act Shakespeare has blended the Ke- 
stlistic, the Romantic, the Supernatural. What ex- 
pression of each has he given ? 

109. What has Shakespeare accomplished in Act I. ? 
^-^ Ans. I. He has introduced every important char- 
acter in the drama, and given all necessary informa- 
tion about them. II. He has described in detail all 
the causes of the action of this drama. III. He has 
foreshadowed that action : a. Prospero's retribution 
(cf. I. 2. 177-184) ; b. The love affair of Ferdinand 
and Miranda. 

ACT II. 

110. What comforting reflections does Gonzalo 
make on the escape of himself and friends from the 
wreck ? 

111. What replies from Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio 
do Gonzalo' s words evoke ? 

112. What description of the island does Gonzalo 
give ? 

113. Of what fact are we now informed ? 

Ans. The marriage of Claribel to the King of 
Tunis. 

114. What classical allusions does that suggest to 
the members of the party ? 

115. What is the purport of Antonio's remark, 
His word is 7uore than the miraculous harp? 



THE TEMPEST. 407 

116. What regrets regarding Claribel's marriage 
does xllonso express ? 

117. What does Francisco say of Alonso's son ? 

118. What dramatic purpose is attained by the 
references to Chiribel ? 

Ans. Her marriage was the indirect cause of the 
disasters which have happened to Alonso and his 
friends (cf. 11. 1. 103-130). To give the spectators this 
information, which is so necessary to an intelligent 
appreciation of the plot, is the reason of this reference 
to her. 

119. What rebuke does Gonzalo administer to 
Sebastian ? 

120. How does the portrayal of Alonso's affection 
for Claribel compare, contrast with that of Prospero 
for Miranda ? 

121. What is Gonzalo's description of the common- 
wealth he would establish on this island if he had su- 
preme power ? 

122. From what source did Shakespeare probably 
derive the hints for this ? 

123. With what taunts and jibes are Gonzalo's 
words received ? 

124. What sarcastic response does Gonzalo make ? 

125. What description of Gonzalo does Antonio 
make later ? 

Ans. Lord of weak remembrance ; This ancient 
morsel, this Sir Prude?ico. 

126. Is this truly descriptive of him, or is it sim- 
ply the mistaken opinion of Antonio ? 

127. AVhy has Shakespeare introduced humor 
here ? 



408 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Ans. To contrast witli the tragic. He thereby ac- 
complishes two purposes. I. He temporarily re- 
lieves the mental and emotional strain of the specta- 
tors of the drama II. The ultimate result is to make 
the tragic more effective by means of Contrast. 

128. Who now enters and what does he do ? 

129. Who fall asleep at first ? Who later ? 

-^::- 130. What is Shakespeare's dramatic purpose in 
causing Ariel to put these men to sleep ? 

Ans. To give Sebastian and Antonio an opportu- 
nity to conspire to destroy Alonso and to seize his 
Kingdom. 

131. Who first suggests the deed ? 

132. In what w^ords ? 

133. What does Antonio say his strong imagina- 
tion sees? 

134. How does Sebastian receive Antonio's sug- 
gestion ? 

135. What is the meaning of / am standing water? 

136. What does Antonio sa}^ about ebbing men? 

137. If Ferdinand is dead, who's the next heir of 
Naples ? 

138. What does Antonio say about Claribel and any 
trouble slij could make for the conspirators ? 

139. What was the folk-lore, current in Shake- 
speare's day, in connection with The man V the 
moon ? 

Ans. Cf. "Folk-Lore of Shakespeare," Dyer, 
pp. 65, 66. 

140. What crime of Antonio does Sebastian recall ? 

141. What does Antonio say about conscientious 
scruples ? 



THE TEMPEST. 409 

142. What about the murder of Gonzalo ? 

143. How will the rest act in this matter ? 

144. What do Sebastian and Antonio decide to do ? 

145. Is this conspiracy now brought to an end, or 
its prosecution only delayed ? 

Ans. Cf. III. 3. 11-17. 

146. How does this conspiracy compare, contrast 
with that of Cassias and Brutus for the murder of 
Caesar ? 

147. How does the temptation to which Antonio 
and Sebastian are subjected compare and contrast 
with that to which Macbeth was subjected ? 

148. Who now enters ? 

149. What statement does he make ? 

150. What warning does Ariel sing in Gonzalo's 
ear ? 

151. Had Gonzalo saved the lives of Prosperoand 
Miranda ? 

Ans. Cf. I. 2. 159-168. 

152. Ariel's music sounded to Sebastian and An- 
tonio as 't was a din to fright a monster s ear ; to 
Gonzalo like a humming. Why this difference ? 

Ans. This difference was subjective. It was in 
the natures of the individual men. 

153. What explanation of their threatening atti- 
tude do Sebastian and Antonio give to Gonzalo and 
Alonso when the latter awake ? 

154. What does Gonzalo say to x\lonso ? 

155. What report does Ariel say he will take to 
Prospero ? 

156. Has there been pronounced Character-De- 
velopment in this scene ? 



410 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

157. AVhat traits of character inAlonso, Sebastian, 
Antonio, Gonzalo, have been clearly defined, strongly 
emphasized ? 

^ 158. Why is Caliban frequently described as "the 
missing link " ? 

--159. What description of his treatment by Pros- 
pero does Caliban give ? 

160. Who now makes his first appearance in the 
drama ? 

161. What is a homhard? 

~' 162. What description of Caliban docs Trinculo 
give ? 

163. What does Trinculo decide to do in order to 
shelter himself from the storm ? 

164. What reflection does he make on Misery ? 

165. Is this Stephano's first appearance in the 
drama ? 

166. How does this music affect Caliban ? 

■ 167. What description of Caliban and Trinculo 
does Stephano give ? 

168. What do Stephano and Trinculo say when 
they recognize each other ? 

-^ 169. What does Caliban promise to do for them, if 
they will not injure him ? 
■^170. Why does he rejoice ? 

171. What dramatic purpose does Shakespeare 
effect by introducing this scene, which is so humor- 
ous ? 

Ans. For the same reason that he introduced 
humor in the previous scene. Vide question No. 137, 
and the answer thereto. 



THE TEMPEST. 411 



ACT III. 



172. What reflections on Miranda, on Prospero, 
and on himself does Ferdinand make ? 

173. Why did Prospero impose on Ferdinand This 
mean task ! 

Ans. Cf. IV. 1. 5-8. 

174. Wliat consolation does Miranda bring to 
him ? 

175. What is the dramatic purport of Miranda's 
statement, My f<( titer is hard at study ? 

Ans. Vide qviestion No. 195, and answer. 

176. What comment does Prospero make on 
Miranda's words to Ferdinand ? 

177. What does Ferdinand say of his previous 
love affairs ? 

178. What of his admiration for Miranda ? 

179. What, in response, does she say of hers for 
him ? 

180. What information about his rank does Ferdi- 
nand give to Miranda, and what offer of marriage 
does he couple with it ? 

181. Is Miranda equally prompt and frank in 1 er 
declaration of love ? 

182. Does this eventuate at once in an engager.. ent 
of marriage ? 

183. What comment thereon does Prospero make ? 

184. Is this love affair in perfect harmony with 
Prospero's plans ? 

185. How docs Shakespeare's portrayal in this 
scene of the love of Ferdinand and Miranda compare, 
how contrast with his portrayal of that of Romeo and 



412 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

Juliet ; Bassanio and Portia ; Orlando and Rosalind ; 
Florizel and Perdita ? 
-:iv- 186. In what terms do Stephano and Trinculo ad- 
dress Caliban ? 
-^ 187. What do they say of him ? 

188. What is a standard ; a Mooncalf J 
1^189. What contention takes place between Trin- 
culo and Caliban ? 

190. What sharp rebuke does Stephano administer 
to Trinculo, and with what punishment does he 
threaten him ? 
-' 191. To what does Caliban refer, the suit I made 
to thee ? 

192. Who now enters, and what does he do ? 
^ 193. Wliat plot does Caliban now distinctly out- 
line ? 
-3 194. What does Caliban say about Prospero's 
hooks ? 
.. 195. What do the hooks symbolize ? 

Ans. The control of mind over matter ; intellect 
over Nature. 

196. Does Stephano decide to act favorably on 
Caliban's suggestions ? 

197. What description does he give of the out- 
come of the plot ? 

• 198. What has Ariel tried to do in Sc. 2 ? 
Ans. To cause dissensions among the conspirators, 
and thereby bring their plans to naught. 
— - 199. Has he been successful ? 
. 200. Have Trinculo and Stephano been thoroughly 
"frightened by Ariel's tune ? 

201. In what words do they express their fear ? 



THE TEMPEST. 413 

~^ 202. What does Caliban tell them in order to re- 
assure them ? 

203. What is the meaning of the picture of Nobody? 

204. What is a catch ? 
Arts. Vide p. 68. .vv 

^ 205. What description of the noises of which the 
isle is full does Caliban give ? 

206. What is the medium used here and every- 
where by Ariel for the manifestation of his power ? 

207. Is the plot of Caliban and Stephano intended 
by Shakespeare to be a counter-plot to that of Anto- 
nio and Sebastian ? 

208. What dramatic function does it> by being 
such, fulfil ? 

Ans. It preserves Proportion and Balance. Vide 
pp. 148, 199. 

209. How do these two plots compare, contrast ? 

Ans. Both plots are sure to fail, because they con- 
flict with Prospero's plans and commands. The plot 
of Caliban and Stephano, however, is so impracti- 
cable that it amounts almost to a parody of a 
plot. 

210. What is the meaning of By 'r lakin ? 

211. What is the physical condition of Alonsoand 
Gonzalo ? 

212. What is the dramatic purpose of this weari 
ness ? 

Ans. To put them in such a condition, physically, 
mentally, emotionally that they could easily be con- 
trolled by Prospero. 

213. Does Alonso finally give up all hope of find- 
ing his son ? 



414 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

214, What do Antonio and Sebastian say about 
their plot ? 

^ 215. What exhibition of his magic powers does 
Prospero now give ? 

216. What is a lixing drollery f 

217. What comments on the show do Alonso, 
Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo make ? 

218. What does Prospero say about them ? 

219. What is a harpy ? 

. 220. Who are the three men of sin to whom Ariel 
refers ? 

Ans. Cf. III. 3. 104; V. 1. 11, 12. 
-^ 221. What does he say of them, of their wicked- 
ness, of its punishment ? 
'iTi, 222. What description of himself and his fellows 
does Ariel give ? 

223. yfh^t oi my husiiiess? 

224. What of the punishment that has befallen 
Alonso ? 

225. What alone can guard Alonso from the icraths 
the powers have decreed against him ? 

226. What commendation does Prospero bestow 
on Ariel ? 

227. What does Prospero say of My high charms 
work ? 

Ans. Cf. III. 3. 88-93. 

228. Is this the Climax of the drama ? 

Ans. Yes. The Complication is now complete. 
From this time the Resolution begins. 

229. What effect has been produced on Alonso, 
.^Sebastian, Antonio by the show ? 

Ans. It makes Alonso penitent and desirous of 



THE TEMPEST. 415 

committing suicide. It causes Antonio and Sebas- 
tian to be defiant. 

230. Wliat does Gouzalo say of their condition and 
of Ihelr great guilt ? 

281. Wliat is the meaning of ecstasy ? 

ACT IV. 

232. What is the begiuning of the Resolution of 
this drama ? 

Ans. Prospero's release of Ferdinand from the 
mean task he had imposed upon him. Further, his 
consent to and approval of the eng;igement of mar- 
riage between Ferdinand and Miranda. 

233. What tribute does Prospero pa}^ to his daugh- 
ter ? 

284. What is the meaning of or Phcebus' steeds are 
foumlefd, or Night kept chain' d below ? 

285. AVhat command does Prospero give Ariel ? 

286. What advice does he give Ferdinand ? 

237. Who are Iris, Ceres, Juno ? 
Ans. Cf. line 120, seq. 

238. What poetic descriptions of Nature do they 
give V 

,239. For what purpose did Iris summon Ceres ? 

240. What is the burden of the song that Juno and 
Ceres sing ? 

241. On what employment do Juno and Ceres send 
Iris ? 

242. What does Iris say to the nymphs, calVd 
Naiads ? 

243. What to the sunburnt sicklemen, of August 



416 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

244. What is the dramatic purpose of this mask ? 

A/is. It is a fitting, poetic, happy consummation, 
in whicli the Spirits as well as Nature are made to 
share, of the love affair of Ferdinand and Miranda. 
-• 245. What spectacle is now shown to Ferdinand 
and Miranda ? 

246. What does Prospero say about the conspiracy 
against his life ? 

247. What command does he give To the Spirits ? 

248. What effect does the recollection of the con- 
spiracy have upon Prospero ? 

249. Why does this plot have such a disturbing 
effect on Prospero ? 

Ans. Not because he fears it, but because it makes 
manifest the fact that all his good purposes relating 
to Caliban have miscarried. Prospero's feeling is 
one of sorrow more than of anger. Cf. lines 188-192. 

250. What explanation of the revels and these our 
actors does Prospero give Ferdinand ? 

251. Does Shakespeare in this statement describe 
the nature and purpose of this play ? 

252. What description does Ariel give to Prospero 
of the result of his mission to Caliban, Stephano, 
Trinculo ? 

, 253. Why has Shakespeare conveyed this informa- 
tion by narration instead of by action ? 

Ans. Because it could be done much more effec- 
tually by appealing to the imagination than by ap- 
pealing to the vision. 

254. What is the meaning of trumpery, stale ? 
\ 255. What description of Caliban does Prospero 
give ? 



THE TEMPEST. 417 

256. What has been the fruit of all Prospero's 
efforts to reclaim and improve him ? 

257. In what way does Caliban manifest his men- 
tal and moral degradation ? 

Alls. I. By ingratitude toward Prospero. II. By 
his choice of the degraded and drunken Stephano as 
master, in i^referenoe to Prospero. 

258. Does his miud sy mpathize with his ugly body ? 
Ans. Cf. lines 190, 191 ; V. 1. 290 ; also pp. 839, 

340. 

259. With what punishment does Prospero threat- 
en these conspirators ? 

260. Do Stephano and Trinculo believe they have 
been fooled by the fairy F 

261. What threat do they utter against Caliban ? 

262. Are they misled by the glistering apparel ? 

263. What warning does Caliban utter ? 

264. What suggested to Trinculo the title by 
which he addressed Stephano — viz., King Ste- 
phano ? 

Ans. An old song, " Take thy cloak about thee." 
lago sings a stanza from it in Othello, II. 3. 92-99. 

265. Why was Caliban so much shrewder than 
Stephano and Trinculo ? 

Ans. His knowledge of Prospero was much more 
accurate ; his fear of him much greater. 

266. What is the meaning of steal by line and 
level ; put some lime iipon your fingers? 

267. What is the significance of the phrase, fore- 
heads villanous low ? 

268. How are the conspirators driven out of Pros- 
pero's cell ? 



418 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

269. How does Prospero punish them ? 

270. Why is tlieir punishment physical in con- 
trast with that of Gonzalo, Alouso, Sebastian, whicli 
is mental and moral ? 

Ans. Because their natures are so coarse, unde- 
veloped, sensuous, that only corporal punishment 
would be felt by them. 

271. What does Prospero say of his work ? 
--^ 272. What promise does he make to Ariel ? 

-- 273. This Act contains many classical allusions. 
What are they and what is the meaning of each ? 

274. Has there been dramatic progress in this Act ? 
Ans. Yes. Prospero's plans for the happy marriage 

of Ferdinand and Miranda, also for the foiling of the 
conspiracy against his life, have been brought to a 
successful consummation. 

ACT V. 

275. What does Prospero say about his project ? 

276. What is the meaning of Mi/ charms crack 
not ; . . Time goes upright, seq. ? 

277. Why the reference to the time of day ? 
Ans. Cf. I. 2. 239-241. 

-^ 278. What statement about the king and 's fol- 
lowers does Ariel give to Prospero ? 

279. Is their mental and emotional condition simi- 
lar to what it was when last they appeared in the 
drama ? 

Ans. Cf. ni. 3. 94-109. 

280. What is the meaning of tceat her fends? 

281. Why is Gonzalo more distressed than the 
others ? 



THE TEMPEST. 419 

Ans. Because he is a good man (of. lines 62, 68), 
and tberi;fore realizes more strongly than the others 
the heinousness of their treatment of Prospero. 

^ 382. What does Ariel tell Prospero would be the 
effect on him if he could see them ? 

. • 283. What does Ariel say would be his feelings 
toward tliem if he were human ? 

284. What reflections on this statement does Pros- 
pero make ? 

285. In what words does he announce the Ethical 
lesson of the drama ? 

Ans. Lines 20-30. 
. 286. What words of Portia do these of Prospero 
recall ? 

Ans. Cf. Merchant of Venice, IV. 1. 184-202. 

287. What does Prospero order Ariel to do ? 

288. What address does Prospero make to the 
elves, by whose aid he has worked his charm ? 

289. In the exercise of his rough magic what has 
he done ? 

290. What medium does he use by which still 
further he works his end upon their senses ? 

291. When Prospero has restored the king and 
's followers, what will he do with his staff and 
book 1 

292. Who compose the group that now stands 
within Prospero' s charmed circle ? 

293. What does Prospero say to Gonzalo, Alonso, 
Sebastian ? 

294. What is the meaning of the metaphor, the 
approaching tide, seq. ? 

- 295. What command does Prospero give Ariel ? 



420 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

296. What is the meaning of disease ; of sometime 
Milan ? 

--297. What exquisite song, descriptive of himself, 
does Ariel sing ? 

298. What command relating to the mariners, . . 
the master and thj boatswain does Prospero give to 
Ariel ? 

:x. 299. In what terms does Ariel describe the rapid- 
ity with which he will execute Prospero's command ? 

300. What is the meaning of enforce? 

301. Who of the courtiers speaks first ? 

302. Why Gonzalo ? 

Ans. Because he is more in sympathy with Pros- 
pero. 

303. What desire does he express ? 

304. Is this an index to his character ? 

305. What does Prpspero say to Alonso and Gon- 
zalo ? 

306. What response do they make ? 

307. What does he say to Sebastian and Antonio ? 

308. What does Sebastian, in an Aside, respond ? 

309. Is this opinion of Sebastian an index to his 
character ? 

310. What demand does he make of Antonio ? 

311. What request does Alonso make of Prospero ? 

312. What is the length of the time of the action 
of this drama ? 

313. What does Alonso say about his son ? 

314. What does Prospero in response say about 
his daughter ? 

315. What is the dramatic significance of these 
allusions ? 



THE TEMPEST. 421 

Ans. To foreshadow the appearance of Ferdinand 
and Miranda. 

316. What is the dramatic significance of Alonso's 
wish that Ferdinand and Miranda were living both in 
Naples, The king and queen there ! ? 

Ans. To foreshadow that event, which is one out- 
come of the drama. 

317. What further information about himself, ids 
court, attendants, subjects, does Prospero give to 
Alonso ? 

318. AYhat vision does Prospero reveal to Alonso ? 

319. Why does Shakespeare introduce here the 
game of chess ? 

Ans. At the time this play was written chess was 
very popular in Naples, of which place Ferdinand was 
a prince. With this fact Shakespeare was doubtless 
familiar. It probably suggested to him the use of 
the game in this play. 

320. What does Ferdinand say when he recog- 
nizes his Father ? 

321. What does Alonso respond ? 

322. In what words does Miranda express her sur- 
prise and her joy on seeing these men ? 

323. Whom does Alonso believe Miranda to 
be? 

324. Had Ferdinand also when first he saw Mi- 
randa believed her to be a goddess f 

Ans. Cf. I. 2. 421. 

325. Why did both these men form this opinion ? 
Ans. I imagine on account of Miranda's surpass 

ing beauty and loveliness. 

326. With what words of conciliation and peace 



4:22 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

does Prospero blot out the remembrance of Alonso's 
misdeeds ? 
-— ^^ 327. In what words, spoken by Gonzalo, does 
Shakespeare describe the plot of tliis plaj^ ? 
Ans. Of. lines 205-213. 
J> 328. What other words of the poet do they recall ? 
Ans. 

Our indiscretion sometimes serves us well. 

When our deep plots do pall : and that should 

teach us 
There's a divinity that shapes our ends, 
Rough-hew them how we will. 

Ha?nlet, V. 2. 8-11. 

Cf. also King John, III. 1. 274-278. 

329. Has Shakespeare now brought to a conclu- 
sion the action of the drama so far as it relates to 
Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Ferdinand, Gonzalo, 
Miranda ? 

330. What other characters are there whose dra- 
matic lives must be ended ? 

~~ 331. Whom does Ariel now bring to Prospero ? 
- .. \ 332. Why have the Boatswain and mariners slept 
during the play ? 

Ans. Because they took no direct part in the ac- 
tion. They were simply Mechanical Personages. 
^-^ 333. What is the nature and function of a Me- 
chanical Personage in a drama ? 

Ans. He takes no direct part in the action. He 
assists incidentally, and in a very subsidiary way, in 
presenting incidents, personages. 

334. What description of himself and comrades, 



THE TEMPEST. 423 

of their strange experiences, of their ship, does the 
Boatswain give ? 

335. What comment on this recital does Alouso 
make ? 

336. What promise does Prospero repeat to Ariel ? 

337. What to Alonso ? 

338. What comniaud does he give to Ariel ? 
_339. What comments does Alonso make which ac- 
curately describe this play ? 

Ans. Cf. Y. 1. 227, 228 ; 242-245. 

340. Whom does Ariel now drive in f 

341. In what garb are they dressed ? 

342. AVhat do Stephano, Trinculo, Caliban say to 
each other ? 

343. Has Stephano's experience led him to accept 
Fatalism ? 

344. What is the meaning of Cor agio ; of trua 
spies ? 

345. What does Prospero say of Caliban ? 

346. What is said to, what by Stephano, Trin- 
culo ? 

347. What command does Prospero give Caliban ? 

348. What response does he make ? 

349. What comment on his own conduct does he 
make ? 

350. What parting words does Prospero speak to 
Alonso ? 

351. What to Ariel ? 

352. Has the Complication of the plot been finally 
and fully Resolved in this Act ? 

353. Has the crime which caused the action of the 
drama been justly and adequately punished ? 



424 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEAEE. 

■^ 354. Have those who committed that crime real- 
ized their wickedness and repented ? 

Ans. Cf. V. 1. 212. 
:r> 355. lias full reparation been made to Prospero ? 
_-^- 356. Is the portrayal, in this play, of Poetic Jus- 
tice both natural and artistic ? 

■"-> 357. Why were Stephano and Trinculo not more 
severely punished ? 

Ans. Cf. Othello, V. 2. 289, 290. 

358. Is it likely that Shakespeare wrote the Epi- 
logue to this play ? 

359. What is the meaning of the phrases, the help 
of your good hands; gentle breath of yours ; relieved 
hy prayer ? 

****** 

V 360. Does Shakespeare in this play follow accu- 
rately the Greek law of Unity ? 

Ans.- Yes, so far as it refers to time and place. 

361. What is that law ? 

Ans. A drama is the portrayal of one action, oc- 
curring in one place, on one day. 

362. Is The Tempest more a dramatic poem, of an 
allegoric nature, than a drama ? 

Ans. Yes. 
> 363. Is this the i-eason it is unsuited to stage- 
representation ? 

Ans. It is. 

364, What is the probable date of the composition 
of this drama ? 

Ans. I think it is one of the last three complete 
plays that Shakespeare wrote. The other two were 
TJie Winter's Tale, Gynibeline. 



THE TEMPEST. 425 

365. What are the cardinal traits of Prospero's 
character ? 

366. Of what is he the personitication ? 

Ans. Primarily, of Wisdom. Secondarily, of the 
Power that can execute justice ; rewarding the 
Eight, punishing and circumventing the Wrong ; 
and in so doing can use as his ministers supernatural 
beings and Nature. 

367. How does Shakespeare's portrayal of Pros- 
pero as a Father compare and contrast with his por- 
trayal, in that relation, of Shylock, Lear, Frederick 
{As You Like It), Leonato, Capulet ? 

368. What is the nature and function of Ariel ? 
Ans. He is a spirit. He is the representative of 

Air, Fire. He is moody. Prospero calls him ma- 
lignant thing. His function in the drama is to rep- 
resent the intellectual, the spiritual, and to execute 
Prospero's commands. He is tlie link between earth 
and the higher and better world. 

369. Why is he invisible to every one in the play 
except Prospero ? 

Ans. Because he is the executant of Prospero's 
orders. If he were visible, it might interfere with 
that work, 

370. How does Ariel, his nature, his function, 
compare with Puck ? 

371. What other great poet has followed Shake- 
speare's example, and used Spirits as the connecting 
link between nature and the supernatural ? 

Ans. Cf. Goethe's Faust, Sc. xxi. 
' ' 373. What is the nature and function of Caliban ? 
Ans. He is the type of the brute-man. He per- 



426 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

sonifies the earthly, grovelling, sensuous. He is the 
connecting link with the lower, the grosser world. 
Cf. I. 2. 349-372. 

::.-• 373, Is he intended by Shakespeare to he a Char- 
acter-Contrast to Ariel ? 

374. How do the following characters contrast and 
compare : Alonso?JS. Sebastian ; Alonsor^. Antonio ; 
Sebastian vs. Antonio ; Gonzalo vs. each of the above; 
Trinculo vs. Stephano ? 

375. How does Gronzalo, the Counsellor, compare 
and contrast with Polonius ? With Kent ? 

376. What are the traits of Ferdinand's charac- 
ter ? 

377. What are those of Miranda's character ? 

378. Of what is Miranda the type ? 

Ans. Of Virginity. She is the child of Nature. 

379. Was the meeting between Ferdinand and 
Miranda arranged by Prospero ? 

Ans. Yes. Ferdinand is guided and drawn to the 
place where Miranda was by Ariel's iMying and 
singing. Miranda, at the opportune moment, is 
awaked by Prospero from a charmed sleep. 

380. Is Shakespeare's characterization of the Boats- 
wain natural, consistent, artistic ? 

381. In what different ways does remorse manifest 
itself in the three men of sin ? 

382. Are Stephano, Trinculo, Caliban, repentant ? 

383. Why not ? 

Ans. Because they all are coarse, gross, sensuous 
beings, whose intellectual and emotional natures are 
undeveloped. They are, therefore, incapable of fine 
feelings. 



THE TEMPEST. 427 

384. What examples are there in this play of 
Character-Grouping ? 

385. What are the puns in this play ? 
Ans. Cf. p. 199. 

386. This play ends, but the action does not cease ; 
cf. V. 1. 162, seq.; 301. seq. Why ? 

A}is. Cf. p. 200. 

387. Act I. Sc. 1 is in Prose ; Sc. 2 is in Blank- 
Verse. Why ? 

Ans. The dialogue in Sc. 1 is in language which, 
although impassioned, is vulgar, devoid of dignity. 
It is, therefore, in the form of Prose. In Sc. 2 the 
subjects discussed are of great importance. The 
conversers are refined, dignified. The language, 
therefore, is in the form of Blank-Verse. 

888. What other parts of the play are in Prose ? 
What in Blank- Verse ? 

389. Why the change from one to the other form 
of composition ? 

Note. — On the subject of questions 388, 389, cf. 
p. 201 ; pp. 300, 301. Also article in Transactions 
New Shakespeare Society, 1880-1886, pp. 533-562, 
by Henry Sharpe, on " The Prose in Shakespeare's 
Phiys." 

390. What is the function of Music in this plaj" ? 
A71S. It is the connecting link between Prosper©, 

the great Magician, and Ariel, his Fairy, on the one 
hand, and men on the other ; between the super- 
natural and the natural. 

391. What has Shakespeare elsewhere said as to 
the power of music over animals and men ? 

A)is. Cf. Merchant of Venice, V. 1. 70-88. 



428 HOW TO STUDY SHAKESPEARE. 

392. This play and A Midsummer- Night's Dream ^ive 
•the two most highly imaginalive plays Shakespeare 

wrote. How do they contrast with each other as to 
date of composition, subject, construction, charac- 
terization, use of supernatural beings, portrayal of 
love ? 

393. In these two plays Shakespeare portrays man 
in connection with the supernatural. What is the 
principal difference between the plays so far as they 
relate to this subject ? 

Ans. It is accurately summarised by Victor Hugo 
as follows : "^1 Midsummer -NighVs Drerj^/zi depicts 
the action of the invisible world on man ; The Tempest 
symbolizes the action of man on the invisible world." 

V. Collatera,! Reading. 

Short Studies in Shakespeare's Plots, Ransome, 
pp. 2(59-299. 

For an analysis of the character of Caliban, cf. 
Furness's Variorum Edition of The Tempest, Preface, 
pp. v.-viii. 

Characters of Shakespeare's Plays, Hazlitt, 1845, 
pp. 77-84. 

Among my Books, Lowell, pp. 199, seq. 

Lectures on Shakespeare, Coleridge, Bohn's Edi- 
tion, pp. 274-282. 

There is much Narrative Statement in this play — 
e.g., I. 2. Cf. article on "Shakespeare's Use of 
Narration in his Dramas," Professor N. Delius, 
Transactions New Shakespeare Society, 1875-1876, 
pp. 207-218 ; 332-335. 



THE TKMI'KST. 4--39 

Shakespeare as a J)ramatic Artist, Aloiilton, pp. 

William Shakespeare, Wendell, pjx 3(55-377. 

Shakespeare — His ]Min(l and Art, DoAvden, ]^\^. 
3T0-3S2. 

Commentaries on Shakespeare, Gervinus, Transla- 
tion of F. E. Buunett, pp. 787-800. 

Characteristics of Women, Jameson, Edition of 
Routledge. pp. 193-203. 

Shakespeare Characters, Charles Cowden Clarke, 
pp. 275-291. 

Irving Shakespeare, Dr. Garnet t, p. 185. 

Lectures on Dramatic Literature, Schlegel. Trans- 
lation of John Black, 1815, Vol. IL, p. 179. 

History of English Dramatic Literature, Ward, 
Vol. L. p. 441. 

Caliban upon Setebos ; or, Natural Theology in the 
Island, Browning. 

Three Xotelets on Shakespeare, Thonis, chapter 
on " Shakespeare's Fairy Lore." pp. 26-108. 

A Disquisition on the Scene, Origin, Date, etc., of 
The Tempest, Joseph Hunter. 

Caliban, The Missing Link, Daniel Wilson. 

The Women of Shakespeare. Louis Lewes, Trans- 
lation of Helen Zimmern, pp. 340-846. 



NCV -4 134:^ 



LBflg'OS 



